The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD), Student Government Association (SGA) and the university's Center for Public Deliberation (CPD) will host a Meet & Greet the Candidates followed by the seventh annual Walk2Vote event on Oct 23.

The Meet & Greet event gives students the opportunity to engage with local candidates and discuss issues affecting the community. Candidates and students will participate in 15-minute roundtable discussions. The event will be held 9-11:30 a.m. in Academic Building, Room A300. 

Dr. Windy Lawrence, director of the CPD, explained that the Center is dedicated to improving civic engagement among students and encouraging conversations about critical issues.

“Civic engagement is about more than just voting," Lawrence commented. "The space we are designing at UHD encourages interactive conversation that informs and engages both those who are represented and those who represent.”

Immediately following Meet & Greet the Candidate, SGA will host Walk2Vote on the Portico.

This popular event is open to the community and features speeches, food, and music before SGA and participants walk to the Harris County Law Library to cast their votes during early voting.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Councilmember Karla Cisneros (District H) will be in attendance. DJ Ernie will provide the music while UHD Greek organizations and cheerleaders entertain the crowd.

Local community partners include Mi Familia, Baker Ripley and Texas Freedom Network.

Christina Glenn, SGA Senator for the College of Public Service, has been involved with Walk2Vote for two years.

“Walk2Vote is important because it gets college students as well as the community more involved and civically engaged,” Glenn said. “A plus is you don’t go alone. There are so many people who do the walk that will be right beside you.”

Now a nationwide event at many college campuses, Walk2Vote began at UHD in 2012. The event is the culmination of a months-long effort to raise political awareness among students and get them registered to vote.

Scheduled guests for Meet & Greet The Candidates (updated daily):

Mayor

• Derrick Broze
• Tony Buzbee
• Naoufal Houjami
• Sue Lovell
• Victoria Romero
• Johnny Taylor
• Roy J. Vasquez

City Controller

• Chris Brown
• Orlando Sanchez

City Council, At Large Position 1

• Larry Blackmon
• Raj Salhotra

City Council, At Large Position 2

• David W. Robinson

City Council, At Large Position 3

• Marcel McClinton

City Council, At Large Position 4

• Tiko Hausman
• James Joe Joseph 

City Council, At Large Position 5

• Michelle L. Bonton
• Sallie Alcorn

City Council, District A

• Mehdi Cherkaoui

City Council, District C

• Amanda Wolfe
• Gladys House
• Sean Marshall

City Council, District D

• Carla Brailey
• Rashad Cave
• Nissi Hamilton
• Ken Moore

City Council, District E

• Sam Cleveland 

City Council, District H

• Isabel Longoria

City Council, District J

• Andrew Patterson
• Nelvin Joseph Adriatico