Posted by Jill Zuckman at 10:55 CDT

Every time you turn around, it seems, there’s a presidential debate or a candidate forum, even though Election Day is still about a year-and-a-half away.

Hosting these events is a way for various groups to get their message and concerns across. This year, the AFL-CIO will be hosting forums around the country with individual Democratic candidates for president, hoping to give its members a chance to ask questions directly to the candidates.

“America’s working families are looking for a national about-face when it comes to good jobs and wages, affordable health care for their families, retirement security and a firm plan for getting out of Iraq,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “Over the next several months, candidates for president of the United States will have a unique opportunity to listen to the real concerns of working people - firsthand.”

In 2006, the AFL-CIO’s voter mobilization effort turned out 13.6 million people in 32 states to support union-endorsed candidates. During the 2008 cycle, the AFL-CIO hopes to get union members involved in the election using the town hall forums, an interactive web site and other efforts in advance of the union’s endorsement.

This year’s series of forums will involve one Democratic candidate in one city, starting with Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) in Sacramento and concluding with a forum for all the Democratic candidates in August in Chicago:

Sen. Christopher Dodd - April 29, Sacramento, Calif.
Sen. John Edwards -- May 1, Seattle
Sen. Barack Obama - May 14, Trenton, NJ
Sen. Joseph Biden - May 16, Miami
Sen. Hillary Clinton - May 19, Detroit
Gov. Bill Richardson - June 4, Phoenix
Rep. Dennis Kucinich - Date and time TBD
Multi-candidate forum - August 6 or 7, Chicago