When I first wrote about Camden, I called it A City for Others.

Well, all I can say is, here we go again. Only in Camden could we have a mayoral debate scheduled at a time when most voters cannot attend.

While the event is yet to be announced, my understanding is that the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey is hosting a Camden Mayoral Debate from 12-1:30pm at the The Walter K. Gordon Theater (Rutgers University-Camden) on Friday, November 1st. Yes, that’s right, we’re hosting a debate in the middle of the work day. And to make matters worse, the event is still nowhere to be found on the Chamber of Commerce Events Page. How, exactly, are folks going to get time off work to attend this?

I consider it fundamental to our democratic process to have these debates, and to have them at times that make it possible for constituents to attend and become informed voters. That is particularly critical in Camden, where much of the population feels disenfranchised and does not vote. Let’s not make this any harder than it has to be.

So pencil it into your calendar and hope your boss gives you a long lunch break. If you think it’s ridiculous to hold a candidate forum at a time when most of the population will be at work (and I certainly do), here’s what you can do: call the Chamber of Commerce at 856-424-7776, ext. 115 or email them. A quick look at the Rutgers Events website indicates that there are rooms available that same evening that are large enough to host the event.

Of course, Mayor Redd’s office could easily ensure that such a debate was held in the evening as well, although I understand the political calculus that a front-runner doesn’t want a game-changing debate. Still, it’d be nice to see the mayor sending such a positive message to her constituents by, you know, having a debate when they can come.

Don’t get the wrong picture here. There are plenty of good Camden folks fighting for a debate time when they can attend. I join them in calling for a mayoral debate that’s scheduled for its citizens, not a discussion to be held while they’re at work.