Although they may be too young to vote, today’s youth is Christian County’s future workforce, educators and government leaders. On Monday, members of Men 2 Be asked the Hopkinsville mayoral candidates questions regarding issues impacting local youth.
Republican Russ Guffey, Democrat Markeeta Oldham Wilkerson and Independent Desaepa Vansauwa are facing off in fall’s general election to be Hopkinsville’s next mayor. The trio sat as a panel in front of a group of inquisitive youngsters, and Nikki Chambers from the Hopkinsville League of Women Voters moderated the event.
Before any questions were asked, each candidate shared why they were running for mayor. Guffey has four children ranging in age from 21 years old to 5 years old; he says he wants Hopkinsville to be a place that has enough recreation and opportunities for not only his children, but for other children to make the city their homes after they graduate from high school and college.
Oldham says it’s her goal to move the city forward and shared an initiative she would implement if elected called the “Hopkinsville Youth First Initiative.” The imitative focuses on supporting and bringing youth development organizations together.
Vansauwa says he is running for mayor because there are steps that can be taken today that can create a better future for young people.
After sharing some information about themselves, the candidates were asked questions about crime reduction, how they plan to attract younger folks to Hopkinsville and their plans to make public spaces safer and more accessible.
In 2026, multiple shooting incidents have occurred that have involved teenagers and younger adults. To reduce crime, Wilkerson says she would like to invest in mentorship organizations and forms of recreation that connect youth to adults who can be positive role models. She says children who are exposed to adults committing crime are more likely to commit crimes themselves.
To keep more young folks in Hopkinsville after they graduate from school, Guffey says attracting more recreational activities and retail stores could lead to more people settling down in the city. However, he says the population needs to grow, more well-paying jobs need to be created, and more housing needs to be developed to bring those amenities to Hopkinsville.
To make public parks safer and more accessible, Vansauwa says they could look at frequently used parks in other cities to see how local recreation spaces can be improved. Vansauwa has a friend who works as a parks and recreation director in Dallas, Texas, and he says he’d like to bring him to Hopkinsville to get advice on ways parks could be improved.
Kentucky’s general election is set for November 3.
