Alton and Godfrey Candidates to Introduce Themselves, Answer Questions at February Candidate Forums

ALTON/GODFREY - The East End Improvement Association will host two candidate forums before the April 1, 2025, consolidated election.

Alton and Godfrey aldermanic, trustee and mayoral candidates will introduce themselves and answer questions at the candidate forums next month. At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, Alton candidates will speak at the Great Rivers Hotel in Alton. At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, Godfrey candidates will speak at the Trimpe Building at Lewis and Clark Community College. East End Improvement Association (EEIA) board member Steve Schwartz will moderate both forums.

“We think it’s really important for the community to know the candidates that are running for their city and village offices, and this is a great way to introduce them,” Schwartz said. “It’s also an opportunity to impress upon individuals to get out and vote.”

Schwartz said the EEIA has been sponsoring candidate forums in Alton and Godfrey for over 20 years. He encourages people to come out to the forums and ask questions of the candidates. He noted that candidate forums are some of the only opportunities people have to speak directly to public officials.

“You can talk to your representatives,” he said. “You’re not going to be able to talk to the president of the United States or your congressman or senator. They’ll send you back a note. But these are elected officials that you can actually talk to and make some comments and give some ideas and get some feedback from, those that represent you in the city.”

Alton Candidates Forum

During the Alton candidate forum on Feb. 4, aldermanic candidates will have a few minutes to introduce themselves. Alton City Clerk candidates, including incumbent Cheryl Ingle and challenger Lauren Wilson, will then introduce themselves. Elizabeth “Betsy” Allen, who is running unopposed for Treasurer, will introduce herself. Candidates are encouraged to speak about their qualifications and why they have decided to seek office.

The three Alton mayoral candidates — incumbent David Goins, former mayor Brant Walker, and current Third Ward Alderman Ray Strebel — will then introduce themselves. Audience members are invited to submit questions, which will be screened by an EEIA member. Schwartz will ask the candidates these questions and they will respond in a round-robin format. Mayoral candidates will then give closing remarks.

Godfrey Candidates Forum

During the Godfrey candidate forum on Feb. 11, trustees will be introduced in random order. They will introduce themselves and speak about their qualifications and reasons for seeking office. Godfrey City Clerk candidates, including incumbent Susan Robbins and challenger Jacquelyn Clayton, will introduce themselves.

The three Godfrey mayoral candidates — incumbent Michael McCormick, Beth Johnes, and current Trustee Craig Lombardi — will introduce themselves. They will answer audience questions in a round-robin format, and then give closing remarks.

At both candidate forums, EEIA asks audience members to submit general questions for mayoral candidates to answer. All candidates will be available after the forums to answer more specific questions and talk with audience members about their qualifications.

Schwartz clarified that these events are forums, not debates. He said that EEIA sent out invitations to the candidates on Jan. 14, 2025, and he expects everyone to attend. He hopes to see many Alton and Godfrey voters turn out to learn more about their candidates.

“We’ve had several candidates respond to us, so we expect to have all the candidates there,” he added. “It’s just a great venue to learn and to meet the individuals that are going to be representing you within the city or the village.”

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