Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Take Your Pick: Harrisburg City Council and Mayoral candidates to debate, participate in forums

Residents may have read about candidates’ stances, watched their videos and perhaps even met them going door to door.

Starting this week, Harrisburg residents will be able to see and hear candidates, maybe even ask them questions, at a series of debates, forums and meet-and-greets. The action starts Wednesday and runs almost to the primary itself, which is May 16.

Five Democratic candidates are running mayor: challengers Lewis Butts, Jr., Anthony Harrell, Jennie Jenkins, Gloria Martin-Roberts and incumbent Eric Papenfuse.

Seven Democratic candidates are competing for four, four-year seats on City Council: incumbents Ben Allatt, Shamaine Daniels and Wanda Williams and challengers Jeremiah Chamberlin, Ausha Green, Angela Kirkland and Dave Madsen.

On the ballot for Harrisburg school board are incumbents Judd Pittman, Danielle Robinson and James Thompson and challengers Brian Carter, Carrie Fowler, Richard Soto, Gerald Welch and Cory Williams. Newcomer Percel Eiland is the only candidate running for the board’s sole two-year seat.

All events are free. The PennLive/CBS21 event at HACC requires an RSVP. Some event coordinators allow participants to email questions to the moderators ahead of time.

Friends of Midtown: Meet the City Council Candidates Night
Wednesday, April 26, 6 to 9 p.m.
Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
Submit a question ahead of time to: events@friendsofmidtown.org.

Candidate Forum, hosted by NAACP
Thursday, April 27, 6 p.m.
Girl Scout Building
350 Hale St., Harrisburg

Meet the Candidates Night, hosted by Capital Region Stonewall Democrats
Thursday, April 27, 6 to 9 p.m.
Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
Candidates from York, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster and Cumberland counties will share their platforms. Mayoral candidates will attend this event following the 6 p.m. NAACP forum.

Harrisburg Mayoral Debate, sponsored by CBS21 and PennLive
Tuesday, May 2, 7 to 8 p.m.
HACC Midtown Campus, 2nd Floor
1500 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
Submit questions to John Micek at jmicek@pennlive.com or Christine Vendel at cvendel@pennlive.com
RSVP here

Harrisburg Mayoral Debate, sponsored by Harrisburg Young Professionals and The Hill Society
Tuesday, May 9, 5 to 8 p.m., Reception at 6:30 p.m., Debate at 7 p.m.
Hilton Harrisburg
1 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg

Harrisburg Mayoral Community Townhall Debate, sponsored by ABC27
Thursday, May 11, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg

 

Story was updated at 8:45 p.m. Monday to correct inaccuracies with dates and sponsorships. 

Author: Danielle Roth

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