Primary season is already well underway in Indiana. Candidates have announced their intentions in droves and are beginning to assemble their campaigns. Attention is now turning to the issues that voters want to hear addressed on the local level.
The St. Joseph County Democratic Party is holding a candidate meet-and-greet for the upcoming 2015 municipal primary in both South Bend and Mishawaka to help voters in their choice of municipal candidates.
“With so much interest in the Democratic Primary, we felt this would be a good opportunity for voters to hear from and speak with candidates on an individual basis before the campaigns really get heated up,” says Jason Critchlow, the St. Joseph County Democratic Party chairman. “I think it’s the first time we’ve done something like this in recent history, but I believe it’s good transparency that will make for good government and stronger community involvement. That is what we want to encourage.”
There will be two separate events: one for Mishawaka candidates and another for South Bend candidates.
South Bend candidates will be hosted at UAW Local 5 Union Hall located at 1426 S. Main Street in South Bend on Wednesday, February 11.
Mishawaka candidates meet the day prior on Tuesday, February 10 at the Knights of Columbus located at 114 West 1st Street in Mishawaka.
Doors will open for both events at 5:30 pm with the program beginning at 6 pm.
“There is no doubt the primaries will get contentious, so the goal here is to get everyone off on the right foot so we can move our community forward together, because that’s what’s important here,” Critchlow adds.
The event — which will include non-mayoral local candidates — will allow for brief introductory remarks and then candidates will be available for one-on-one conversations, giving voters a chance to ask their questions directly to the candidates.
Critchlow says that “all the candidates that have filed thus far” have confirmed their attendance. You can find a full list of confirmed South Bend candidates here.
