NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Democratic City Committee and Northampton Open Media will host a “meet the candidates” forum next month to allow voters to hear from a candidate for governor and five hopefuls for lieutenant governor.
The in-person forum is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Northampton High School auditorium, 380 Elm St. The public is invited and attendees do not have to live in Northampton.
State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, D-Boston, a candidate for governor, will participate, while Attorney General Maura Healey’s gubernatorial campaign said the candidate could not attend due to a scheduling conflict, organizers said.
The participating lieutenant governor candidates are Bret Bero, a business educator and the former owner of ECHO Industries in Orange; Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll; state Rep. Tami Gouveia, D-Acton; state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield; and state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow.
Elizabeth Silver, chairperson of the Democratic city committee, said “we have a very activist population here in the Valley” and the event is expected to be well-attended.
“I think the candidates are equally interested and anxious to show up,” she said, in part because it will give some candidates new exposure to western Massachusetts and its voters.
This year’s local Democratic caucuses were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Silver said several candidates asked if they could attend or send short video messages. Silver said the Northampton Democratic City Committee decided to organize an in-person event so voters could “get a more in-depth perspective on their positions on issues.”
The moderator is former Northampton Mayor Clare Higgins, and the candidates will be questioned by a panel including New England Public Media senior reporter and Smith College professor Nancy Cohen, Daily Hampshire Gazette Executive Editor Dan Crowley and Bill Newman, local ACLU chapter director and WHMP radio host.
Attendees are asked to wear masks and will be required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 at the door. Northampton Open Media will offer a livestream on YouTube (https://bit.ly/3LnMDVF).
The public is invited to submit questions about any issue for consideration by the panelists.
“Everything is on the table,” Silver said. “That’s why we wanted to do it this way.”
Email questions to northamptondemscitycomm@gmail.com no later than April 5.
Republicans Geoff Diehl and Chris Doughty are running for their party’s nomination for governor.
Brian Steele can be reached at bsteele@gazettenet.com.