Muskegon Forums Set to Engage Voters Ahead of Nov. 4 Election

The Muskegon Young Black Professionals (MYBP) will facilitate two candidate forums this week to engage voters ahead of the upcoming elections on November 4, 2023. The first forum for Muskegon Heights council candidates is slated for October 22, while the second forum for mayoral and commission candidates in the city of Muskegon will take place the following day.

The Muskegon Heights forum is scheduled from 18:00 to 20:00 at Corinthians Missionary Baptist Church, located at 2027 Peck Street. This year, five candidates are vying for three available seats on the Muskegon Heights City Council. Incumbents Ronald Jenkins and Andre Williams Jr. are seeking reelection, joined by challengers William Kitchen, Chelsea McKinley, and Anderson Robinson. Notably, Council member Kim Sims will not be running due to term limits established by voters in a referendum last November, which restricts council members to a maximum of 16 years of service across both the council and mayoral positions.

The forum will adopt a traditional format, featuring a moderator who will guide a question-and-answer session. Community members will have the opportunity to pose their questions directly to the candidates. Jocelyn Hines, founder and board chair of MYBP, expressed the importance of community participation: “We would want for as many community members to come out as possible. I think local elections are more important than ever and creating those opportunities for people to engage with our local candidates and ask the questions we’ve all been wondering about in our livelihood each day.”

Discussion topics at the Muskegon Heights forum may include critical local issues such as housing, public safety, fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, youth support, and the overall state of Muskegon Heights.

On the following evening, October 23, the focus will shift to the city of Muskegon, where residents will vote for mayor and commission candidates. This forum will occur from 18:00 to 20:00 at The Block, located at 360 W. Western Avenue, on the second floor. The first hour will feature a debate between incumbent Mayor Ken Johnson and his challenger, Bob Garrettson. The second hour will introduce candidates for the commission: Kiley Jackson, Teresa Emory, John C. Allen, and incumbent Rebecca St. Clair.

Expected discussion points for the Muskegon forum include waterfront investment, neighborhood safety, economic development, and strategies for business retention and expansion. All candidates have been invited to participate, and local attorney Brandon Davis is set to moderate one or both events.

The forums will be livestreamed on the Facebook pages for radio stations 103.7 FM and 106.1 FM, ensuring wider community access to the discussions. MYBP, established in April 2017, previously collaborated with the radio station to host a candidate forum ahead of the August primary elections.

Hines emphasized the significance of civic engagement, noting that participants often reside in Muskegon and work with local civic organizations. “We want to make sure that younger age voices are heard among our elected officials,” she stated. As polls open from 07:00 to 20:00 on November 4, the upcoming forums aim to foster informed voting by enhancing dialogue between candidates and community members.

As Mehean “DJQ89” Quinn, deejay and program director for 103.7 The Beat, remarked, “Doing these forums is good for the community, especially going through a community radio station, letting politics and candidates get their business heard.”