Voters will have the opportunity to hear from state District 69 Rep. Jim Lucas and his Democratic challenger during a candidate’s forum at 7 p.m. Oct. 17.

Lucas, a Seymour Republican who was first elected in 2012 and is seeking a fourth term, will appear alongside Steve Schoettmer, a political newcomer from Elizabethtown, in the event at Seymour High School.

The forum has been organized by Jackson County Indivisible, which is part of the Indivisible Project, a grassroots progressive organization formed after the election of President Donald Trump. The group has conducted voter registration drives and hosted candidate visits.

Alicia Colglazier, who is part of the committee organizing the event, said the forum will be independent and has received input for questions from Lucas and Schoettemer.

Seymour resident Rexanne Ude, who is not affiliated with the group, will serve as the moderator.

Topics will include education, health care, voting rights, opioids and wages, Colglazier said.

Ude will read the questions and provide some information about the topic, and candidates will get five to nine minutes to share their stance.

The committee plans to provide the candidates with the questions and research before the forum, Colglazier said.

She said the forum is for all voters.

“I want it to be nonpartisan,” Colglazier said.

Lucas said he looks forward to sharing his views with the public.

“I think that’s how our elected officials should be because they should have the courage to go up there and tell you where they stand but also listen and discuss the issues,” he said. “It’s another great opportunity to get our message out, which is incredibly strong. I’ve worked hard and earned a reputation for being a leader.”

Schoettmer considers himself more of an advocate than a political candidate and was inspired to seek office after losing his girlfriend, Rose, on June 11, 2017, to colon cancer. He said seeing her battle the disease was difficult, but it was taken care of because her treatments were covered by Medicaid and Medicare.

“You have to have advocates fighting for you when you’re critically ill and when you’re at the Statehouse,” he said. “I look forward to sharing my views with voters.”

Schoettmer retired from the U.S. Postal Service to take care of Rose. Throughout his career, he was an American Postal Workers Union representative in many capacities, including representing the entire state for about five years. He now raises goats on a small farm in Elizabethtown.

Health care, wages and education are issues he has outlined as priorities if he is elected.

Schoettmer said he has been busy knocking on doors and campaigning in communities within the district. He said he has knocked on more than 4,000 doors.

One issue Lucas has been working on has been medical marijuana. He has discussed the issue for uses in health care and to combat the opioid epidemic.

Lucas introduced a medical marijuana bill last year, but it was not successful. He also plans to seek the decriminalization of 30 grams or less of marijuana. Gov. Eric Holcomb also has announced he is open-minded about medical marijuana.

“It is my mission to bring medical cannabis to Indiana,” Lucas said, adding he has been to trips to Illinois and Colorado to see how those states handle the issue. “I want to introduce another medical cannabis bill.”

Lucas said education is a big issue he plans to discuss since he sits on the Indiana General Assembly’s education committee.

District 69 includes Brownstown, Hamilton, Jackson, Redding, Vernon and Washington townships in Jackson County; Center, Geneva, Graham, Lovett, Marion, Montgomery and Spencer townships in Jennings County; Republican and Smyrna townships in Jefferson County; and Sand Creek Township in Bartholomew County.

The Tribune plans to cover the forum as part of its 2018 election coverage.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

What: District 69 state representative candidate forum

When: 7 p.m. Oct. 17

Where: Seymour High School’s Earl D. Prout Auditorium

Who: Jim Lucas (R) and Steve Schoettmer (D); organized by Jackson County Indivisible

[sc:pullout-text-end]