WATCH: Essex candidate forums kick off this week on Town Meeting TV

BURLINGTON — Essex voters will have the opportunity this week to meet some of the candidates running to represent them in the state legislature.

At 5:25 p.m. on Thursday, Town Meeting TV will host an election forum for the three candidates vying to represent CHI-22, which encompasses the southwestern part of the City of Essex Junction, in the Vermont House of Representatives. 

At the same time on Friday, the candidates running to represent a slice of Essex Town in the Chittenden-North state senate district will introduce themselves in an election forum. 

Both forums will be streamed live on YouTube. Do you have questions for the candidates? Call 802-862-3966 during the forum to ask your questions live. 

To ask your questions in advance, fill out this form and Town Meeting TV staff will share them with the moderator before the forum begins.

CHI-22 forum 

Reps. Lori Houghton and Karen Dolan, both incumbents and Democrats, and Republican Seth Adam Manley will answer questions from voters on Thursday, Sept. 15.  Bridget Higdon, managing editor of the Reporter, will moderate. 

Houghton helped see Essex Junction’s transition from a village into a city through the statehouse and is a full-time sales operations specialist. She previously served eight years as an Essex Junction trustee. 

Dolan, who worked on the city’s transformation, is a restorative justice specialist at the Essex Community Justice Center. 

A former armed services member, Manley owned Adam’s Plumbing Service in Essex for 15 years before starting a website design company. 

The three candidates will compete in the general election on Nov. 8 for CHI-22’s two seats in the House.

Chittenden-North forum 

At 5:25 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, state senate candidates Irene Wrenner, a Democrat, and State Rep. Leland Morgan, a Republican, will answer questions from voters and from moderator Kristine Lott, mayor of Winooski. 

Morgan's participation is unconfirmed at this time. 

Wrenner is a former chair of the Essex selectboard and a longtime activist. She is also the former publisher of the Essex ReTorter, a local news source she founded.

Morgan, who has represented West Milton in the statehouse for four years, is a former educator and retired military officer. He has also served on the Milton selectboard and school board.  

In the general election on Nov. 8, the candidates will vie for Chittenden-North’s lone seat in the state senate. The new district is made up of Fairfax, Milton, Westford and a piece of Essex Town as a result of the 2022 reapportionment.