No matter who wins the November election, this will be the first time that the City of Boston has not had a male, white mayor.
Boston mayoral candidates Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George will participate in their first one-on-one debate against each other on Oct. 13. Both will advance to the general mayoral election on Nov. 2.
In past debates, the opponents have sparred over issues such as public health, education, and housing. Both are Boston city councilors affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Wu has been endorsed by figures such as Senator Elizabeth Warren and Acting Mayor Kim Janey, while organizations such as the Massachusetts Nurses Association and Boston Firefighters Local 718 endorsed Essaibi George.
The debate will take place at 7 pm and can be watched on WBZ-TV or CBSN Boston. It will be moderated by WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller, who has encouraged Boston residents to submit questions via email to keller@wbztv.com. Candidates will have up to a minute to respond to questions from the host, followed by opportunities for open discussion, and they will also have a chance to ask questions of each other.
Read the latest Dig report on the candidates and their contributions here.
Shira Laucharoen is a reporter based in Boston. She currently serves as the assistant director of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. In the past she has written for Sampan newspaper, The Somerville Times, Scout Magazine, Boston Magazine, and WBUR.
