With elections and the legislative pre-season heating up, there’s a whole mess of great events to attend to learn more about candidates and pressing issues. Start off with a forum about the lack of legal protections for condo homeowners, or check out an immigration panel featuring Sen. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem. Later in the week, you won’t want to miss the latest rhetorical slugfest between Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and Gov. Gary Herbert.

Utah Condo Owners Town Hall
Thursday, Oct. 14
For a state’s that as gung-ho about property rights as green Jell-O, many Utah condo owners are organizing to govern themselves through fair homeowners associations, where they’re not trapped in oppressive relationships with their property-management committees. This meeting will include remarks from House Minority Leader David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, Oct. 14, 6 p.m., UtahCondoOwners@yahoo.com

From Arizona to Utah: Enforcement of Federal Immigration
Thursday, Oct. 14
Immigration looks to be a hot issue in the 2011 legislative session, and whether you’re fed up with the feds for lax enforcement or sick of crazy xenophobic state laws, you’ll want to attend this discussion. Panelists will include Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank, Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City and Sandstrom, who plans to introduce an immigration bill in the Utah House patterned after Arizona’s controversial S.B. 1070.
Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, Oct. 14, 7-8:30 p.m., SLCPL.org

Decision 2010: A Gubernatorial Town Hall Meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 19
Courtesy of the University of Utah Forensics debate team, you can see the latest duel of talking points between Gov. Herbert and Corroon, his Democratic challenger. Expect some bruising exchanges over campaign finance, education, jobs and the economy. The event is free to the public, but seating will be filled on a first-come basis.
Libby Gardner Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, University of Utah, 801-581-6454, Oct. 19, 5 p.m., Debate.Utah.edu

Eric S. Peterson: