Marfa candidate forum April 18

MARFA — The Big Bend Sentinel is hosting a Candidate Night on Tuesday, April 18, from 7-9PM at the Marfa Visitor Center / USO building. Candidate Night offers each candidate the opportunity to speak to Marfa residents about their qualifications and goals for their service. Candidates for school board and school elections will go first, each making a three-minute statement. Candidates are Joe Pat Clayton, David Walstrom, and appointed incumbent Eric Wilmarth, competing for one seat; and Katie Price Fowlkes and Lori Flores who are running unopposed.

City council candidates will follow, each making a statement. Candidates for council, vying for two seats, are Meghan Gerety, Saarin Keck, Raul Lara, Irma Salgado, Brit Webb, and incumbent Josie Simpson.

The second hour will begin with the candidates for mayor making statements, followed by a 20- to 30-minute question-and-answer period only for the candidates for mayor. Questions will be solicited from the public over the next two weeks and will be asked by audience members. Candidates for mayor are Genevieve Bassham, Lineaus Hooper Lorette, and Ann Marie Nafziger.

Robert Halpern of the Big Bend Sentinel will moderate.

When the Q&A is finished the Marfa Visitor Center will remain open until 9pm for informal questions and conversation with all candidates.

Election day is Saturday, May 6, and early voting will be available weekdays from April 24 to May 1. Voting takes place at the Casner Room at 113. S. Highland Avenue.

The Big Bend Sentinel is soliciting questions for mayoral candidates. What do you want to know? What issues are important to you this election? Submit questions by April 15 to [email protected].

Candidate night is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:45pm and the Marfa Visitor Center / USO is located at 302 S. Highland Avenue.