To the Journal editor:

Would you like an opportunity to meet with the candidates who will be participating in the primaries for Michigan’s next representative in the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.? Our current representative is incumbent Jack Bergman who has stated he will be seeking another two-year term after first being elected in 2016.

Throughout Michigan’s First Congressional District, for the first time, 11 Indivisible groups will host non-partisan forums. In Marquette, the Lake Superior Regional Indivisible group will host their event from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at the Northern Center Ballroom, Northern Michigan University, Marquette.

Currently, in Michigan, in every election cycle, the two major parties use the primary season to select the candidates who will appear on the general election ballot, narrowing the field long before the national election in November.

While this may seem like a good way of deciding who will be on the ballot, this primary process rewards partisanship and perhaps leaving many voters feeling shut out.

One significant problem with the primaries is that only a moderate percentage of eligible voters participate in primary voting. For example, in 2024, only about 40 percent of voters participated in the primaries, compared to the turnout in the general election. That fraction of voters narrowed the choices for everyone else.

These non-partisan meet-the candidate forums during the primary season are bringing candidates directly to voters in rural and small-town communities that are often overlooked. Republican, Democratic and Independent candidates, as well as incumbent Jack Bergman, have been invited to participate.

These forums are structured, moderated and grounded in civility and respect. Candidates are invited to speak to general election voters, not partisan bases, to listen to communities outside their usual political silos.

All area citizens who choose to attend this forum will submit questions on the day of the forum and each candidate will be given the opportunity to answer your questions.

You are all invited to attend the LSRI forum on the campus of NMU from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 21, in the Northern Center Ballroom. You can register and find details for this event at www.bit.ly/mi.01dates.

Remember, this is your chance to meet the person who will potentially represent you for the next two years in Washington, DC. Let’s help that person learn what our local top questions and concerns are and help the candidate truly bring our voices with him or her to Washington.