The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Locals meet candidates, eat cookies
Meet the Candidates Night lets voters ask questions
Candidates and citizens from across Lorain County were invited to meet and discuss the issues at the Charleston Coffee House Sept. 28.
The Meet the Candidates Night was hosted by the Lorain County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Lorain Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club. All the candidates up for election this year were invited to snack on cookies and juice and to meet members of the voting public.
Stephanie AlexanderJohnson, president of the Lorain County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, said that the organizations see this event as an opportunity for the candidates and the citizens to get to know each other in a nonthreatening environment.
“The goal is for the community to come out in a non-confrontational way and be able to meet the candidates and talk about their issues or what they stand for,” she said. “So, it gives the candidates and the community a very personable way to have a relationship in talking about some of the issues going on in the community.”
She said that a personal connection with the candidates is beneficial to the voters.
“They see a lot of things in the media, whether it’s TV or in the newspaper, but they can get a real sense of having that human relationship with someone and being able to talk to them face to face.”
Inez James, president of the Lorain Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, echoed many of Alexander-Johnson’s points and added that all of the issues on this election’s ballot are important to the two groups, but there’s particular interest on the races for judges.
“I think almost any election has something you can’t miss to get involved,” she said. “We know a lot is going on with the courts that directly affect African American people. There’s a lot of candidates who are going to be running now who are going to have direct input on cases that involve African Americans or just the community.”
Sylvia Duvall, 71, of Lorain, said that events that bring candidates and the community together are very important because of the power elected officials hold.
“These people control our lives to a great extent,” she said. “Every decision is a political decision. You either decide to slant things one way if you participate or you slant things the other way if you don’t participate. It affects our everyday lives and the quality of our life.”
Duvall also said that meeting a candidate in person has an effect on the way they govern.
“Face to face you can look a candidate dead in the eyes and say what your community needs, this is how you’re impacting us and this is how you’re hurting us,” she said. “When you look at them eye to eye it really helps.”