Duluth Candidates Set to Speak at Forums in September

August 15, 2023

Drew Kerner,

DULUTH, Minn. — With election season nearing, it’s important to stay up to date on candidates that will represent the overall interests of Duluthians.

The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and the Duluth News Tribune announced the dates of five candidate forums. All free and open to the public at The Garden in Canal Park.

Between the five forums, you’ll hear from candidates for Duluth School Board District 3, Duluth School Board at Large, Duluth City Council District 4 and District 1, Duluth City Council at Large, and the big race for Duluth Mayor between incumbent Emily Larson and Roger Reinert.

“We’re fortunate to have two good candidates. So it’s our job not so much to tell people who to vote for. But more so to make sure they’re speaking to the issues that matter to our membership, and the business community, and the community at large,” said Vice President of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Dan Fanning. “Typically candidates stick around so if people have individual questions for them, they’re able to have their conversations as well.”

But the race for mayor isn’t the only one in the cutting it close as the spot for Duluth City Council District 4, as per the latest election results from August 8 shows a slim margin between Tara Swenson and Howie Hanson.

“It’s a very close race that is replacing an incumbent who did not run again, who is replacing an incumbent who unfortunately passed (Renee Van Nett) away while in office. There’s been a lot of change in that District over the last few years,” said Fanning. “But knowing that it was such a close race, this is a very good opportunity for voters in that district to hear directly from both of those candidates for a good hour, to get to the meat of the issues.”

Between September 13 and 14, the DNT and Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce will moderate each hour-long forum ensuring that each candidate can expand more on topics that are at community interest.

Duluth School Board District 3 (Henry Banks and Loren Martell) and Duluth School Board At Large (incumbent Alanna Oswald and Stephanie Williams) will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 13
Duluth Mayoral Forum between incumbent Emily Larson and Roger Reinert will be held at noon on Sept. 13