The Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce, My Buckhannon and West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Student Senate will host a candidate forum at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at WVWC’s Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts. The event is open to the public and is expected to run about two hours.
It’s the fourth time the three organizations have teamed up for the event, having previously hosted similar forums in 2020, 2022 and 2024.
This year’s event will feature candidates running for Upshur County Commission, Upshur County Board of Education and Buckhannon City Council.
B-U Chamber of Commerce First Vice President Jamie O’Brien will moderate.
Brian Bergstrom, owner-founder of My Buckhannon, said the event is focused on local offices and local issues.
“Local elections are super important, but they can sometimes get lost in the bigger political picture,” Bergstrom said. “Events like this give Upshur County voters an opportunity to hear from candidates directly. It’s free and open to the public, so we hope folks come out to learn about the people who will be representing them for the next several years.”
Each group of candidates will field a range of questions, which O’Brien will draw from a bowl and direct to candidates. To keep the event moving at a brisk pace, candidates will not give speeches or statements, and audience questions must be submitted in advance. A booklet of candidate biographies will be distributed at the event.
The forum will also be live-streamed for anyone who cannot make it in person.
Residents are invited to submit questions by emailing info@buchamber.com or news@mybuckhannon.com. Please note in your message which office the question is for. Questions must be submitted by Wednesday, April 8.
