24-03-2025
Hear from local candidates: Nonpartisan coalition hosts interviews for April 8 election
Election season is unfolding with election day on April 8 fast approaching. As in past elections, more than a dozen nonpartisan Springfield-area organizations have partnered to produce a series of candidate interviews allowing local voters to hear directly — in their own words — from those running for elected office.
Volunteers with the Informed Voter Coalition, which includes the Springfield News-Leader, collaborated to help voters learn about mayor, City Council, and school board candidates in Springfield and mayoral candidates in Ozark.
Starting Tuesday, March 25, candidates will share their ideas and goals in brief conversations to air on KSMU Ozarks Public Radio (91.1 FM).
After they air, video versions of the interviews produced by the News-Leader will be added to this story at and on the websites of other coalition members.
The coalition selected four contested races to cover, which will air at noon on the following days:
Candidates for Ozark mayor Donald Currence, David Snider, and Eddie Campbell participated in the interviews.
Candidates for Springfield school board Kelly Byrne, Sarah Hough, David Myers, and Gail Smart participated in the interviews.
Candidates Matt Simpson and Bruce Adib-Yazdi for Springfield City Council Zone 4 seat, and Heather Hardinger and Eric Pauly for Springfield City Council General A seat participated in the interviews. Monica Horton, running unopposed for Council Zone 1 seat, and Craig Hosmer, running unopposed for Council General B seat, also participated.
Candidates for Springfield mayor Jeff Schrag and Mary Collette participated in the interviews.
More: Here's what's on the April ballot in Springfield and surrounding communities in the Ozarks
Launched in 2019, the Informed Voter Coalition aims to educate voters and foster engagement between candidates and citizens. All organizations are nonpartisan. Members are:
Be Civil Be Heard
Drury University's L.E. Meador Center for Politics & Citizenship
KSMU Ozarks Public Radio
Leadership Springfield
League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri
Missouri State University's Office of Public Affairs
NAACP Springfield
Ozarks Technical Community College's Social Sciences Department
Rosie
Show Me Christian County
Springfield Business Journal
Springfield-Greene County Library District
Springfield News-Leader
Please enable Javascript to view this content.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield candidates share city, school board thoughts in interviews
