New London — A debate is scheduled for tonight for City Council candidates.

The debate will start at 7 p.m. at the New London Science & Technology Magnet High School at 490 Jefferson Ave. Beginning at 6 p.m., attendees can meet the candidates and submit written questions for the debate. The debate is expected to conclude by 8:30 p.m. when candidates again will be available to meet with the audience until 9 p.m.

The debate is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut, the New London Neighborhood Alliance, New London Parent Advocates and the New London NAACP.

For the seven-member City Council, five incumbents are competing for votes against 12 challengers:

The incumbent City Council members are: Democrats Efrain Dominguez, Anthony Nolan, Erica Richardson, Michael Tranchida and Republican Martin Olsen.

Challengers for a seat on the council are Republicans Dennis Downing, Timothy Ryan, Katherine Goulart, Keith Robbins and Thomas Wise; petitioning candidates Marie Friess-McSparran and John Russell; Green Party candidates Timothy Hanser and Ronna Stuller; and Democrats Martha Marx, John Satti and Donald Venditto.

For more information on voting, visit http://sect.lwvconnecticut.org/