Three forums scheduled over the next two weeks will give St. Petersburg voters a chance to hear from the candidates in the upcoming municipal election.

ST. PETERSBURG – Three forums are scheduled in the next couple of weeks that will give voters a chance to hear first-hand from the candidates who are running for St. Petersburg mayor and council.

Seven people are running for mayor: Rick Kriseman, who’s seeking reelection, former Mayor Rick Baker, Paul Congemi, Jesse Nevel, Anthony Cates, Theresa Lassiter, and Ernisa Barnwell.

Two candidates each are running in Districts 2 and 4. In District 2, political newcomers Barlcay Harless and Brandi Gabbard are facing off against each other. In District 4, incumbent Darden Rice is facing a challenge from Jerick Johnston.

The District 6 race has eight candidates: Corey Givens, Maria Scruggs, Eritha Cainion, James Jackson, Justin Beam, James Scott, Gina Driscoll, and Robert Blackmon.

The District 8 seat was also up for grabs, but incumbent Amy Foster is considered to be reelected because no one qualified to run against her.

The primary, for the mayor’s office and District 6 seat, will be Aug. 29. The two top votegetters will move on to the Nov.7 general election. (That is, unless a mayoral candidate receives 50 percent plus1 vote ore more, in which case, he or she would be declared the winner.) The general election will include the District 2 and 4 seats.

The winners will serve for four years. The mayor earns $180,895 a year. The council members are paid $44,452 a year.

The three forums:

Monday (July 10) sponsored by the Downtown Neighborhood Association and moderated by the League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg
City Council District 6 & Mayoral Candidate Forum (Two Segments)
Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Grand Bay South Ballroom
333 First St. S,
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the forum begins at 6:30 p.m.

The forum will be split into two segments. The first will focus on the eight candidates who are running for the District 6 seat that will be vacated when Council Member Karl Nurse is term-limited out. The second is for the seven mayoral candidates. You’ll also be able to pose written questions to the candidates so you can hear what they think about the issues that are most important to you.

July 17 sponsored by the city of St. Petersburg and moderated by the League of Women Voters
St. Petersburg City Hall
175 Fifth St. N
Doors open to public at 6 p.m. and the forum begins at 6:30 p.m.

This forum is for the council candidates in Districts 2, 4, and 6

July 18 sponsored by the city of St. Petersburg and moderated by the League of Women Voters
St. Petersburg City Hall
175 Fifth St. N
Doors open to public at 6 p.m. and the forum begins at 6:30 p.m.

This is for the mayoral candidates.

The July 17 and 18 forums will be televised live on StPeteTV, the city’s government-access channel, which is available on Spectrum Channel 641, Wow! Channel 15, and Frontier Channel 20, and on the city’s website, stpete.org. The forums will also be replayed on the channel and accessible through the city’s YouTube channel.

For information about the St. Petesburg election, go to stpete.org.

Map showing St. Petersburg city council districts courtesy of the city of St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg | Politics | Elections | Candidates Forums | League of Women Voters | Downtown Neighborhood Association | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

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