Now that election signs are becoming omnipresent for the slate of Merced County candidates on the November ballot, it’s time for debate season.

This Saturday, residents in the city of Merced will have an opportunity to hear from mayoral candidates, plus candidates in City Council Districts 3 and 5, which include the downtown region and northwest Merced respectively.

The Merced City Council Candidate Forum is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Boys and Girls Club of Merced County, 615 W. 15th St. in Merced.

The forum for district races is 10 a.m. to noon, followed by lunch. The mayoral candidates forum begins at 12:30 p.m., according to an event announcement.

The Council Races

Three candidates are running for District 3: retired sheriff’s sergeant and planning commissioner Mike Harris, Merced SPCA president Cynthia Kelly, and Sair Lara Rodriguez, who is an educator and business owner.

Bertha Perez, the incumbent council member for District 3, is not seeking another term.

Incumbent District 5 Councilmember Sarah Boyle faces two challengers for her seat: Felipe Rojas-Flores, a public interest attorney, and Alex Carrillo, a communications and policy director.

It’s Martinez vs. Serratto in Mayoral Race

In the mayor’s race, high school English teacher Anthony Martinez is challenging incumbent Matthew Serratto, a prosecutor for the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.

The event is open to the public, click here to register. For additional information, contact lojeda@aclunc.org.

Event sponsors include ACLU of Northern California, Central Valley United for Power, Communities for a New California, Cultiva Central Valley, Faith in the Valley, Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability and Youth Leadership Institute.

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