By Mick Dillon / The Jambar
Candidates on the ballot for Youngstown’s general election Nov. 4 made an appearance at Cushwa Hall for Coffee and Candidates on Oct. 6, hosted by Youngstown State University’s Student Government Association.
SGA President Sophie Myers opened the event with remarks, and then political candidates were allotted time to speak about their campaign. Students were then given the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with each candidate.
Speakers included:
- YSU President Bill Johnson
- Mayor Jamael Tito Brown
- Independent mayoral candidate Derrick McDowell
- Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Renee DiSalvo
- Nonpartisan Municipal Court Judge candidate Marty Hume
Myers said the Coffee and Candidates event is intended to help raise voter awareness at YSU.
“Student government has been doing a voter awareness and registration campaign where we just get students aware of the fact that they need to register to vote to be able to vote,” Myers said. “We want to make sure that all students have the ability to come and either voice their concerns or voice their support for either candidate.”
Johnson said with low voter turnout being a recent issue, he stressed the importance of encouraging people to vote.
“It saddens me in our country that less than one-third of the people in our country — citizens — vote,” Johnson said. “That’s sad to me because this is the only place on the planet where we get to choose who represents us.”
Hume, a Democratic-endorsed candidate, shared similar sentiments about the importance of voting.
“I understand that there’s going to be a low turnout in this election, but if people care about their future, their grandchildren’s future, their children’s future, they have to come out to vote because if we keep going in the same direction, we don’t even know what kind of future they’re going to have,” Hume said.
Following Myers’s and Johnson’s remarks, Brown briefly highlighted his connection to the City of Youngstown.
“I am a Youngstown State alumni, and I say that proudly,” Brown said. “All of my education — all of what I know — is Youngstown.”
Afterwards, Brown spoke on his accomplishments since assuming the position of Youngstown mayor in 2017.
“Under my leadership over the last eight years, [the city has seen] greater fiscal responsibility, safer streets, healthier neighborhoods and a brighter future for our next generation,” Brown said.
McDowell took the podium after Brown, and filled attendees in on his blue-collar background and business management experience. McDowell said his work experience outside of politics, as owner of the Youngstown Flea, gives him a unique perspective.
“I created an artisan market for makers where we support local businesses,” McDowell said. “We just had [an event] this past Saturday, and we had close to 90 small businesses … for the last 10 years, we have supported those local small businesses through that business that I own.”
DiSalvo followed McDowell, and shared how her college experiences at YSU encouraged her to serve the City of Youngstown.
“I started law school and my favorite course was constitutional law … that’s when my desire to be a judge was formed,” DiSalvo said.
DiSalvo also said YSU helped her believe in herself.
“I never thought it was going to be possible, but you’ve got to keep going. That kind of encouragement I got from YSU — the idea that my professors instilled in me not to quit.”
Voting for Youngstown’s general election is from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4. Early in-person voting began Oct. 7, and will continue until Nov. 2.