The Hillsdale Conservatives recently hosted a candidate forum for the upcoming Hillsdale City Council primary. The event was advertised to the public, attended by local residents, viewed across our media platforms, and covered by local press.

Following that forum, all three Ward 3 City Council candidates were invited to return for a debate on July 9.

At first, all three candidates appeared willing to participate. After several weeks of scheduling delays and uncertainty, however, two of the three candidates withdrew before we could begin promoting the event publicly.

As of now, Matt Kniffin is the only candidate who remains willing to appear.

Because of that, the planned debate format will be adjusted. Rather than a full candidate debate between all three candidates, Hillsdale Conservatives will move forward with a public candidate event featuring the candidate willing to attend, answer questions, and speak directly to voters.

This is unfortunate for Hillsdale City voters.

City Council is a nonpartisan office. The issues before the City of Hillsdale are local issues: roads, public spending, taxes, utilities, public comment, city management, development, transparency, and accountability. These are issues that affect residents directly, regardless of party label.

Voters deserve the opportunity to hear from every candidate seeking public office.

Hillsdale Conservatives is not the Republican Party. We are not the Democrat Party. We are a conservative organization in one of the most conservative counties in Michigan. Republicans and Democrats alike are welcome on our conservative stage. Legend has it that even Democrats are allowed to be conservative, and here in Hillsdale County it has become well known that many so-called Republicans are not.

That is why this platform matters.

Hillsdale County is home to Hillsdale College and a voter base that is overwhelmingly conservative in values, instincts, and expectations of government. Many voters and nonvoters alike believe in limited government, local control, constitutional restraint, fiscal responsibility, faith, family, property rights, and public accountability.

It is only reasonable that local conservative candidates should have access to a public platform where they can explain themselves directly to the people.

Not every good candidate has name recognition. Not every conservative candidate has access to party machinery, government connections, insider support, or the quiet networks that have controlled local politics for years. Some candidates are ordinary citizens stepping forward because they believe something is wrong and want to serve their community.

Those candidates deserve a stage.

The voters deserve to hear from them.

For years, Hillsdale County has struggled to get local candidates in front of voters to debate their ideas, defend their positions, and answer questions publicly. The local Republican and Democrat Party structures have not filled that gap. Whether the office is a nonpartisan city council seat or a partisan county or township position, candidates too often avoid direct public comparison.

That should concern voters.

No candidate is required to attend an event hosted by Hillsdale Conservatives. No candidate is required to answer our questions. But voters are also free to consider what it means when candidates ask for public office while declining a public platform.

This county has seen the same campaign tactic for decades: limit exposure, avoid direct comparison, rely on name recognition, and hope voters do not ask too many questions before Election Day.

That may be politically convenient.

It is not public accountability.

Hillsdale Conservatives will continue providing a platform for local candidates willing to speak directly to the people. We will continue inviting candidates from across the local political spectrum, especially those who claim to represent conservative values. We will continue giving voters access to the views, temperament, priorities, and judgment of the people asking to govern them.

The July 9 event will move forward with the candidate willing to appear.

The voters can decide what that means.