Candidate forums to address local issues prior to 2019 Mayor-President election

Lafayette Mayor-President Joel Robideaux has about four months before the mayor-president elect moves in. Public forums for those candidates are ramping up.

Parish election officials say it’s important that voters are informed before election day October 12.

The five candidates for Mayor-President are: Carlee Alm Labar, Simone Champagne, Josh Guillory, Carlos Harvin and Nancy Marcotte.

Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters, Charlene Meaux Menard shows us the new touch screen ballot for early voting this year.

“It’s your civic duty to be informed prior to going to the polls. That’s why we suggest you go to the Geaux Vote App at geauxvote,” Menard said.

The candidates in the mayor-president’s race are the candidates you’ll be voting for.

Qualifying ended the first week of August. “There are five candidates who qualified for this election,” Menard added.

Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited are hosting a mayor president public forum in three weeks.

CEO Anita Begnaud says the candidates will be asked to give their thoughts on downtown Lafayette as a priority in the race. “Things like infrastructure again what do we do with the parking garage situation and how do we make sure we have more adequate sewage infrastructure for future residential developments.”

Begnaud says it’s important the public knows the candidates’ plans once in office. “What they will do as the leader of LCG to ensure that we have a path forward to Develop Downtown Lafayette,” Begnaud said.

The forum will be held in downtown Lafayette on September 24 at 5:30pm to 8:30 pm at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Pre-registration is required by going the to Downtown Lafayette Facebook page.