Area voters meet congressional candidates ahead of June 28 primary

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Five of the candidates running for Illinois’ 16th and 17th Districts voice their case to represent the state. One of the ongoing themes is voting for a candidate who backs the people rather than party affiliation.

A handful of potential Stateline voters connect some of the faces to the names they will see on Illinois’s primary ballot. Nina Giannageli also went to Tuesday’s state representative and senator candidate meet and greet in Loves Park. She says she now has a clearer picture of whose bubble to fill in come June 28th.

“I won’t go in feeling unstable because I don’t know who I’m voting for even though I should vote. Yes, I need to vote but I need to vote in an informed manner,” says Giannageli.

" We are builders, we’re workers were farmers of the world,” says Illinois 16th District candidate Walt Peters.

Peters is one of four candidates who met individually with voters in the final of three meet-and-greets hosted by five area organizations this week.

“Your vote is your voice. As a democratic society, people have got to be involved,” says Fay Marcus with the American Association of University Women.

“Many of my former constituents stepped up and started an online petition imploring me to run and represent them in our nation’s capital and I stepped up to take on the challenge,” says Illinois 17th District candidate Litesa Wallace.

Candidates say interacting with the community is essential during their campaign to find out what is on the minds of their constituents.

“We need to make sure that our next representative is someone who has already earned the trust of the people of the community,” says Illinois 17th District candidate Eric Sorensen.

“I just wish more people took advantage of these opportunities. Because you think they’re really helpful and they’re a great way to support yourself,” says Giannageli.

Some of the candidates who couldn’t make it to the meet and greet sent a representative to answer questions from voters.

Peters says it’s fun to meet other candidates in other districts and listen to what they stand for.

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