UTICA — The Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce and the Sentinel Media Company, publisher of the Daily Sentinel, have announced a partnership in creating the 2023 Meet the Candidates for Mayor Series. The series is intended to provide Uticans the ability to get to know the candidates running to become the next mayor of Utica and to learn more about their political platforms and issues facing the city that they plan to address.

“The Sentinel’s goal is to make sure people are informed so they can better plan their day and their future. The collaboration with the Utica Chamber just made sense for an event like this,” said Bradley Waters, president and publisher of the Sentinel Media Company. “We will reporting on the mayoral election every step of the way in print and online.”

The series will begin with the Meet the Candidates for Mayor Reception, which will take place on June 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Utica Club Lounge in the Utica University Nexus Center, 400 Oriskany St. W. The four mayoral candidates, Michael Galime, Celeste Friend, Robert Cardillo and Frank DiBrango, are all scheduled to attend.

The reception will allow attendees to meet all four candidates in an intimate atmosphere and allow them the opportunity to speak with the candidates directly. Tickets to the reception cost $25 and also include one beverage ticket and light appetizers that will be provided during the event. Local musician Spencer Morgan will be in attendance to provide musical entertainment.

The series will conclude with a mayoral debate to take place on Sept. 19 at Mohawk Valley Community College in the Dr. Michael I. Schafer Theater, almost one month from the start of early voting in New York. The debate will be free to attend and will be open to the public.

“We’ve had the same mayor for 12 years now and it’s really important that people recognize and have the ability to get to know these new candidates before they make their choice come election day,” said Kari Puleo, executive director for the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce. “We want people, especially in a year where there is not a presidential or a national race where you can vote, to remember that local politics really hits hardest to home, so to get out and vote, in those primary races especially, is really important,” Puleo added.

Registration for the reception is now open at the chamber’s website greateruticachamber.org. More information on the mayoral debate will become available at a later date.