Salvadoran COFOA Leaders Build Civic Engagement through Mayoral Candidate’s Forums in Preparation for March Elections

Cuyultitan residents gather for the candidate’s forum “Usually we just vote for a party, but this time we actually got to know more about the candidates and their plans, and I may vote different!” from an attendee of a COFOA candidate’s forum

Three COFOA congregations held mayoral candidate’s forums to learn about the experience and plans of mayoral candidates and encourage people to vote in the March elections. Nearly 600 people attended the first of these events at our newest member church, San Luis Talpa. In San Juan Tepezontes, an even smaller town, 550 showed up for the first forum of this kind in their community. In Cuyultitan, nearly 750 people showed up for their forum, building on their success holding a similar event last year. These forums offer a new opportunity for citizens to hear from the candidates themselves about their plans, and to hold potential public officials accountable to their communities. Approximately 1,900 people attended the forums.

In San Luis Talpa, although all mayoral candidates were invited and agreed to come, only the incumbent mayor actually attended the meeting.  He agreed to meet with leaders within 90 days of taking office to begin addressing priorities raised by COFOA leaders.

San Luis Talpa leaders prepared for the forum by holding one-to-one conversations and house meetings, and administering a survey during mass, to identify the top concerns of the community. Issues that emerged included the need for road repairs, electricity generation, and improved access to clean water.

San Luis Talpa residents also described the high level of kidney disease in the area that is killing people. The cause of the disease is not well understood, yet has resulted in the deaths of more than 24,000 people since 2000 in El Salvador and Nicaragua. It is the second biggest cause of death among men in El Salvador. Some specialists believe that the kidney damage is caused by toxic chemicals used in agriculture that are banned in the US, especially in the growing of sugar cane. The area near San Luis Talpa is surrounded by sugar cane fields.

In San Juan Tepezontes, two of the three mayoral candidates showed up. The leadership team was worried that not many people would attend, and they only put out 300 chairs. As the starting time approached, the leadership team had to scramble all around town to find enough chairs for the over 500 people who came. The forum was a big success and the leaders got commitments from the candidates to work on their key issues including access to clean water, improving the electricity grid, public safety and youth activities, and installing drainage pipes for used water.

In Cuyultitan, Santa Catalina de Alejandria leaders were overjoyed that about 750 people and all five candidates attended their forum. Their one-to-one conversations and church surveys showed a majority of people concerned about public safety, the regulation and sale of alcohol especially to youth, and a concern about littering, trash disposal, and the need for city clean up efforts.

All five candidates agreed to meet with leaders 90 days following the election and share written plans to deal with these issues. Candidates pledged various solutions to issues COFOA leaders presented, from additional vehicles for refuse collection, to a joint citizens safety and youth commission,to a recycling campaign, to creating more programs for youth including job training. Although this was Cuyultitan’s second mayoral candidate’s fórum, it was the first for many in the audience. In their evaluation of the event,one of the participants expressed congratulations to forum  organizers for creating an environment where the people could really listen to what the candidates planned to do, free of partisanship.

Elections take place in March. All Salvadoran mayors and the 84 members of congress are up for election. The political parties are in high gear to get their message out. Changes in electoral law over the past few years have made it easier for people to vote, and nearly half of the population can now vote near where they live, which is an improvement. For the first time, independent candidates can run for the National Assembly. In addition, now people can vote for individual candidates rather than for a particular political party, as it was in the past.