Republican Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has pulled out of a candidate forum at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry on Oct. 30.

The event includes Democratic candidate for county executive George Latimer and is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Westchester.

"We have three scheduled debates, two of them televised, so I think the public has enough to learn about us," said Astorino.

In response, Latimer said, "I think it should be the standard procedure, not the exception, that every time candidates run for office, they should be able to take on as many plausible debates as structured."

The League of Women Voters of Westchester says the cancellation of the forum at Mercy College is a lost opportunity to engage many first-time voters who are college students.

Astorino and Latimer will go head to head in three debates and three forums before Election Day on Nov. 7.