The forum was set up to ensure that the mass of voters who registered so close to the deadline knew the candidates and their positions in the upcoming elections. In addition, because the students now represent such a large percentage of the voting population, especially in District 4, this was perhaps the first and only opportunity for the politicians to address issues facing their collegiate constituents.

Of the 11 candidates who appeared at the forum, a large majority are running for at-large city council positions. Among the other attendees, one is running for District 4 City Council, two are running for District 5 City Council, one is running for district attorney, and two are running for mayor. Of the 270 registered RPI voters, 194 listed their address as 1999 Burdett Ave., placing them in District 4. There are nine City Council seats: six district positions, and three at-large positions. The at-large positions are citywide, meaning a voter can vote for a total of four council members on Election Day.

According to some of the politicians, this was the best-attended forum they’ve had this election cycle. Democracy Matters, in conjunction with Cynthia Smith, assistant dean of the office of the First-Year Experience, set up and organized the event in order to fulfill its goal of “working to engage students in politics” and “raising awareness of money in politics,” according to Brian Reece, the leader of the RPI chapter of Democracy Matters.

The forum was moderated by two people, Professor Emeriti Bernard Fleishman and Paul Hohenberg, and was set up in a non-confrontational manner in order to keep bickering to a minimum. Each candidate was able to speak for three minutes about any topic, and then answered a range of questions presented by the students.

The at-large candidates spoke on a variety of topics during their three minute introductions. Karen Messick felt that one of the biggest problems facing the city was absentee landlords, while Austin Devine focused on the “eyesore factories” that can be found in many places around the city. Robert Gregor made “his first-ever campaign promise” that if he was elected, one of his first acts would be to buy pizza, sit down with RPI students, and talk about the biggest issues that affect the campus.

One at-large candidate, John Pattison, spoke openly about needing to raise taxes. “We have to go to the income side of the ledger,” he said. “We need to grow our tax base and we need to grow our economy.”

Though there had been a minor controversy last week about the legality of the student registrations, no candidate dared question the legitimacy of the registrations at the RPI campus. Some touched on the topic, like Austin Levine who said he “couldn’t care less what [RPI students’] motivations are.” The most outspoken critics of the student registrations, Robert Armet, Cathryne Collington, and Art Judge were not at the forum due to a finance committee meeting.

The questions directed at the candidates covered a wide range of issues from plans for making Troy safer, increases in Troy’s recycling rates, and questions about the underage drinking task force and police enforcement.