2016 Candidate Forum missing candidates and audience

Jessica Lueck

News Editor

Anoka-Ramsey’s Student Senate co-sponsored a candidate forum in the Performing Arts Center on the Coon Rapids campus Wednesday night. The event promised to help the students and community get involved in the election and the opportunity to hear what issues and opinions their local politicians were interested in.

The only thing missing from the event was the community and students. Also, seven candidates. The event only brought in about 25 people, and only four out of 11 candidates showed up.

Three of the seven missing candidates did give notification that they were unable to make it, the other four did not.

Destiny Stevens, a Student Senate volunteer at the event was able to comment on why she felt that there was a lack of attendance at the event. “Our promotional items were put out late and not many students check their emails from us,” Stevens said.

The flyers and emails for the event were sent out on Monday, two days before the event.

Student Senate commented that there was a lack of volunteering contributed to the late flyers and emails.

“I have asked students and their preferred form of communication is through their teachers in class, so teachers need to be willing to tell their classes.” Stevens says.

John Herbert sent out an email on Monday and Wednesday afternoon to faculty announcing the event.

Weather may have also been a factor in the low attendance. Flash flooding impacted the area during the event.

The forum was co-sponsored by League of Women Voters, the Political Science Department, Transformative Circle, GERRL, International Society for Key Women Educators, and Every Child Matters.