KALAMAZOO, MI — Candidates for the Kalamazoo City Commission and Kalamazoo mayor will have a chance to voice their opinions during several forums scheduled in the city before the Nov. 5 city election.

The first of the forums is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the city’s Edison neighborhood, followed by five other events across the city planned through Oct. 15.

Voters in the upcoming Nov. 5 election will choose Kalamazoo’s new mayor and fill three seats on the Kalamazoo City Commission. Longtime Mayor Bobby Hopewell is not seeking re-election after serving six consecutive terms as mayor.

Candidates seeking to succeed Hopewell include current City Commissioner David Anderson, Western Michigan University history professor David Benac, Esteven Juarez and Corey Smith.

Three seats on the city commission will also be filled, and eight candidates are competing in that race.

Only one of the eight city commission candidates is an incumbent. Patrese Griffin is currently serving a partial term on the commission, appointed by commissioners to fill the seat left vacant when former Commissioner Shannon Skyes-Nehring resigned.

The other candidates seeking election to the City Commission in November are Jacob Andrews, Andrew Argo, Emily Demorest, Jeanne Hess, Pete Kushner, Chris J. Praedel and Benjamin Hayden Stanley.

Here are some of the city candidate forums already scheduled in the coming weeks: