BELFAST –  This is my first time voting for mayor in this town. 

I grew up here in Belfast, and have continued to live and work here since graduating from high school in 2012. 

In hopes of getting a better understanding of race, I attended and worked behind the scenes at Penbaypilot.com and Bel-TV’s mayoral candidates forum, Oct. 26.

The event was well attended, and audience members were given a chance to address the candidates with specific questions, but I left feeling a bit conflicted.

I wanted to hear more from the community members about what they wanted in a mayor — a position that is largely ceremonial but also has the potential to really augment and improve the town. So I hit the streets of Belfast with my camera, pulling random people aside to ask them what they thought.

Included in the video above are some clips from our conversations. You’d be surprised how many folks run for the hills as soon as a camera or politics are brought up, but I managed to talk to some quite interesting people including local business owners, residents, students, parents, artists and more.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5

Contact Wes Sterrs at wes.sterrs@gmail.com