The League of Women Voters of Hopkinsville has invited 19 candidates for Hopkinsville City Council in the May primaries to participate in forums that are tentatively scheduled for April 4, 8 and 11.
In addition, the league is seeking public input for questions that could be posed to the candidates during the forums. Community members may use this online form to submit questions for the city council candidates.
All candidate forums will be in city council chambers at the Hopkinsville Municipal Center, 715 S. Virginia St. The league said in a Facebook post that a definitive forum schedule will be released after all the candidates have responded to the league’s invitation, but for now the proposed schedule is as follows:
Thursday, April 4
- 5 p.m. — Ward 1 Republicans Vance Smith and Natasha Francis
- 5:30 p.m. — Ward 9 Democrats Ardell Owens, Angelique Victor and Monike Jones
- 6 p.m. — Ward 9 Repbublicans Jamie Lienberger and Brittanie Bogard
Monday, April 8
- 5 p.m. — Ward 7 Republicans Mark Graham and Clayton Sumner
- 5:30 p.m. — Ward 4 Republicans Chuck Crabtree and Faye Hendricks
- 6 p.m. — Ward 5 Republicans Amy Craig and Shannon Trogden
Thursday, April 11
- 5 p.m. — Ward 10 Republicans Mike Velez Sr. and Steve Keel
- 5:30 p.m. — Ward 10 Democrats Angelita Atkins and Andra Gold
- 6 p.m. — Ward 12 Republicans Elizabeth Draude and Matthew Handy
Seven of the 12 city council wards have at least one contested primary among Republicans in May and two of wards also have a contested Democratic primary. Five wards attracted just one candidates, in each case a Republican. There are 27 candidates in all running for city council.
The primary election in May 21.
During the May primaries, Hopkinsville voters cast ballots only within their ward and only for candidates of their political party. During the November general election, city residents vote in all 12 wards.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
