St. George City Council candidates to debate at Utah Tech University on Wednesday
St. George voters hoping to get to know the candidates ahead of the Nov. 21 municipal election will have a chance to see them all face-to-face on Wednesday.
Utah Tech University and the Washington County Debate Coalition are set to host a debate featuring all five candidates vying for the three seats open on the city council. A public meet-and-greet open to voters is slated for 6 p.m., after which the candidates will take to the stage at the Eccles Fine Arts Center at Utah Tech for a full debate at 6:30.
Candidates Brad Bennett, Jimmie B. Hughes, Steve Kemp, Danielle Larkin and Paula Smith have all signed on to participate, with Chuck Goode, a past political candidate and member of the debate coalition, to act as moderator.
There are three open seats on the council this year, which constitutes a majority on the five-member council. Hughes and Larkin are running as incumbents, but another incumbent, Gregg McArthur, withdrew from the race citing work and family demands.
The five candidates remaining emerged from a field of 14 candidates who ran in the primary election in September. Larkin was the top vote-getter in that election with 6,444 votes, followed by Hughes (5,878), Kemp (5,455), Smith (5,447), Bennett (5,412), and McArthur (4,787).
There are no districts in St. George, so the top three finishers will be declared winners in the Nov. 21 election. Ballots are sent to voters by mail, meaning most people cast their votes well ahead of the actual Election Day.
The Washington County Debate Coalition is a collaborative group organized between members of local educational institutions, businesses, media and political leaders. The Spectrum & Daily News is a participating partner.
"When we first started the coalition, with help from all of our members, my desire was to bring spirited debate to Washington County," said Vince Brown, the director of the Utah Tech Insitute of Politics and the chair of the debate coalition. "We want our voters to be as informed as possible when making their voting decisions. Several years later, it thrills me to see these debates as a staple of political life in Washington County."
The debate is free and open to the public. For those unable to attend, it will also air live on 1450 AM and 93.1 FM.
Debate details
When: Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 6:30 p.m.. A candidate meet-and-greet is scheduled ahead of the debate at 6 p.m.
Where: Main stage of the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center at Utah Tech University, on the southeast corner of the intersection of 100 South and 700 East in St. George.
Who: Candidates Brad Bennett, Jimmie B. Hughes, Steve Kemp, Danielle Larkin and Paula Smith. Chuck Goode is the scheduled moderator.
This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: St. George City Council candidates set for debate at Utah Tech
