"Candidate Connections" event brings LCS Superintendent candidates to neighbors

• ABC 27 hosts our first "Candidate Connections" event bringing together neighbors with candidates running for Leon County Schools Superintendent
• Neighbors gathered in a meet-and-greet style interaction to ask their questions
• Watch the video to find out more about the first event in this series and to hear from neighbors

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

An opportunity for neighbors to connect with candidates this election season. Conversations that are all the more important now this election season. Here at the Lake Jackson Community center, we kicked off our first ABC 27 "Candidate Connections" series , connecting you with candidates in your neighborhood.

"I was raised to vote," said neighbors Cheryl Collier-Brown. "I remember what we had to go through to get the opportunity to vote."

For Collier-Brown, participation in election season is incredibly important.  So that means learning about each candidate race and their missions.

"Knowledge is something you can always utilize forever in your life, so I just like to get out and meet everybody," said Collier-Brown, describing why she wanted to attend ABC 27’s first "Candidate Connections" event.

Thursday’s event was opportunity for neighbors to meet candidates running for Leon County Schools Superintendent: Superintendent Rocky Hanna, Joe Burgess and Star Swain.

Leon County substitute teacher and grandparent, Lavina Johnson, said she was grateful for an informal space to ask her questions.

"This is the kind of thing we need all year round," said Johnson.

For neighbors like Harold W. Edwards II, it is all about maximizing the opportunities to get to know candidates.

"You get to ask your questions," said Edwards. "What's on your heart, it's more than just making an assumption in a group of your friends, you actually get to hear it from the candidates mouth."

Also in attendance, the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office to help with voter registration and to answer voting related questions.  Visibility they’re pushing for this election season.

"So we're visible in the community," said Derek Cassetty with the Office. "So people know we're here, get the word out about election day deadlines."
so people know we're here,

Especially as we near voting registration deadlines for the primary elections.

A reminder that the last day to register to vote for the primary election is July 22nd.