Voters will have a chance to meet the candidates in both the mayoral and city council elections Thursday when the Young Professionals of Meridian and the Meridian chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi host a candidates meet and greet at the Hilton Garden Inn.

The meet and greet will begin at 5:15 p.m. Mayoral candidates will each be given five minutes to stump, and will then answer questions from YPM members. The candidates will see the questions before the meet and greet begins.

Though council candidates will not be given time to speak because of time constraints, they will be there to meet voters who attend and answer questions in person. YPM enhancement committee chair Russell Keene said almost all of the council candidates will be present, including those who are running unopposed.

He said the YPM/PRAM events differ from other political forums in this race because attendees will be able to “meet all the candidates, not just the mayoral candidates” as well as have “more one-on-one time” with the candidates.

The event is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn at 109 U.S. Highway 11/80 in Meridian.