WELCOME TO ELECTION 2026
Candidate Statements is a production service offered by KOCT Television - The Voice of North County. Any Candidate running for office can tape a 5-minute or less statement explaining positions and why voters should elect you to office in Election of 2024. Your statement will be recorded on the KOCT SoundStage equipped with a teleprompter, state-of-the-art cameras, professional lighting & sound. KOCT will edit your recorded statement and it will air on COX CHANNEL 18 and at KOCT.org throughout the Election 2024. You will also receive your edited statement in a downloadable link to use in your media efforts.
The fee for this service is $350
KOCT will be recording the Candidate Statements on these dates:
Wednesday, August 21st: 11:00AM – 7:00PM
Thursday, August 22nd: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
To schedule your Candidate Statement recording, please email us at Election@KOCT.org.
If you wish to provide your own five-minute or less Candidate Statement to KOCT for airing, email Carly Starr, Executive Director at CSTARR@KOCT.org for submitting instructions on parameters and Film Submission Guidelines. Once your statement is completed, please send it to ELECTION@KOCT.org by August 30th to be part of airing. We look forward in providing a platform for your Candidate Statement to be heard in the greater North County community. For our up to date, 24/7 Live Stream and programming schedule, visit KOCT.org and Follow us on FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
Looking forward to it!
Carly Starr Brullo Niles
Executive Director, KOCT Television
ELECTION 2026 RESOURCES
ELECTION POLICY 2026
KOCT adheres to a policy of equal opportunity for candidates qualified by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters and appearing on the ballot. KOCT may also accommodate qualified write-in candidates up to six weeks (45 days) prior to the election by scheduling a special recording and airing of a Candidate Statement, subject to available funding or production support. All qualified candidates may also submit professionally produced programming for airing on KOCT’s Public Access Service in accordance with KOCT Public Access Guidelines.
For decades, KOCT – The Voice of North County – has provided fair and equitable programming opportunities to candidates seeking elected office. As part of its ongoing public service mission, KOCT will continue informing the public by offering election-related programming opportunities to qualified candidates.
Candidates will be notified of available opportunities; however, candidates are encouraged to contact KOCT periodically for updated programming schedules, policies, and election information.
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
(PLEASE NOTE: CANDIDATE STATEMENTS WILL BE OFFERED ONLY IF FUNDING TO UNDERWRITE PRODUCTION COST IS OBTAINED OR CANDIDATE PROVIDES PAYMENT FOR PRODUCTION COSTS.)
Qualified candidates appearing on the ballot, as well as officially certified write-in candidates meeting established KOCT participation and submission deadlines, may be offered an opportunity to record or submit a block of uninterrupted airtime to introduce themselves and discuss their positions with the community
CANDIDATE FORUMS
(PLEASE NOTE: CANDIDATE FORUMS WILL BE OFFERED ONLY IF FUNDING TO UNDERWRITE PRODUCTION COST IS OBTAINED.)
KOCT will televise Candidate Forums for Candidates on the ballot running for local office. The forums are usually recorded in the KOCT Television Studio and are open to the public.
KOCT’S NORTH COUNTY ROUNDTABLE
Candidates on the ballot seeking local office may be invited to appear on North County Voice and/or KOCT’s North County Roundtable to allow the public to get to know the candidates and their views.
Election programming may be broadcast on Cox Community Channel 18, livestreamed online, shared across KOCT digital and social media platforms, and made available on-demand at KOCT.org, expanding community access and voter engagement throughout North County.
TELEVISION & LIVE STREAM REPLAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORUMS
If these Forum Guidelines are adhered to, KOCT will provide numerous replay opportunities on KOCT.org prior to the election. If the KOCT Executive Director determines that the Guidelines have been violated, KOCT will not provide multiple replay opportunities, but is only obligated to provide the standard single replay in a Public Access time slot. Public Access time is available to all Oceanside residents who adhere to Public Access Guidelines. KOCT can produce a web-friendly video of the forum for a fee (per the KOCT Professional Rate Card) and the forum may be posted at KOCT.org
PUBLIC ACCESS
Programming related to political issues, ballot measures, local, state, and national propositions, and candidate-related content may be submitted for airing in accordance with KOCT Public Access Guidelines.
Applicants must review and comply with KOCT Public Access Guidelines and complete all required Public Access submission forms and materials no later than six (6) weeks prior to the requested air date. KOCT must receive all final program materials by the applicable submission deadline. Acceptance of programming for distribution does not constitute endorsement by KOCT, its staff, Board of Directors, sponsors, or affiliated agencies.
ACKNOWLEDGING UNDERWRITERS
Sponsorship credit may open and close taped forums. Acknowledgements will state “Television coverage of this political forum was made possible by KOCT – The Voice of North County and [name(s) of contributing sponsor(s)].”
PROHIBITIONS
KOCT prohibits advertising by or on behalf of candidates for public office. Political candidates may appear on a program, but they may not appear within 2 weeks of an election unless they appear in the capacity of carrying out their legitimate, official duties, in a bona fide news event, or in forums in which all candidates have been invited and which are conducted in a fair and equitable manner.
-from KOCT Public Access Guidelines
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS?
Please Contact KOCT
EMAIL: ELECTION@KOCT.org | PHONE: 760 722-4433 | ONLINE: KOCT.org
KOCT FEATURED PROGRAMMING
CONTACT KOCT
KOCT’S NORTH COUNTY ROUNDTABLE: ELECTION 2024
The Following Editions of North County Roundtable are examples from Oceanside’s 2024 Election. Candidates on the ballot seeking local office may be invited to appear on North County Voice and/or KOCT’s North County Roundtable to allow the public to get to know the candidates and their views. Here are some examples of our past Election productions.
ELECTION 2024 CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
KOCT, it's Board of Directors, Staff, and The City of Oceanside do not support nor promote any candidates. We provide the following program as a public service for voters. All candidates have been invited to participate in this program, but not all were able to or chose to do so.
KOCT’S NORTH COUNTY ROUNDTABLE: ELECTION 2022
The Following Editions of North County Roundtable are examples from Oceanside’s 2022 Election. Candidates on the ballot seeking local office may be invited to appear on North County Voice and/or KOCT’s North County Roundtable to allow the public to get to know the candidates and their views. Here are some examples of our past Election productions.
KOCT’S NORTH COUNTY ROUNDTABLE: ELECTION 2020
The following political forum discussions are examples from Oceanside’s 2020 Election. Candidates on the ballot seeking local office may be invited to appear on North County Voice and/or KOCT’s North County Roundtable to allow the public to get to know the candidates and their views. Here are some examples of our past Election productions.
