With less than a week and a half until the August primary election, Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates are making stops across the state to capture voter attention, including at a community forum in Watertown.
WATCH: Watertown community packs pews for gubernatorial forum ahead of primary
Four candidates attended a public forum at First Congregational United Church: Joel Brennan, Francesca Hong, Andrew Manske and Kelda Roys. All candidates were invited to attend.
A recent Marquette Law School poll found 34% of primary voters are undecided. TMJ4 spoke with undecided voters about the issues that matter most to them.
Wayne and Sandy Hasel, Fort Atkinson residents, said their top concerns are school taxes, property taxes and school vouchers.
"We just want to hear what they stand for, what they believe in and what they are going to do for us," Sandy said.
Tom Kohls, a Watertown resident, said school funding is a priority for him.
"Funding of schools. I think that's really important. That's a hot button issue in Watertown," Kohls said.
The majority of questions at the forum centered on affordability, including how candidates would handle minimum wage, child care, data centers, homelessness and education.
Kelda Roys, a state senator, addressed public school funding.
"The state needs to meet its full two-thirds funding commitment to public education, not just for our kids, but to take the pressure off property taxpayers and to end this horrible, divisive cycle of referendums that pits neighbors against one another," Roys said.
State Rep. Francesca Hong echoed that sentiment.
"We cannot have a democracy unless we fund our public schools and invest in public education," Hong said.
Candidates were also asked about the police shooting of Corey Ruiz in Madison and the use of body-worn cameras.
Republican candidate Andrew Manske said accountability matters alongside support for law enforcement.
"It's a little strange, but as a Republican, while it's nice to have strong police, I also want to have accountable police," Manske said.
Democratic candidate Joel Brennan made the case for body cameras.
"You know who wants body cameras? Cops. They protect them as much as they protect society," Brennan said.
Hong also weighed in on the issue.
"I do support body cameras, but I support even more actually being serious about public safety by investing in the things that we know prevent crime," Hong said.
Candidates who were not at the Watertown forum are holding events elsewhere.
Republican front-runner Tom Tiffany has an event Tuesday in Crawford County at the Dousman House in Prairie du Chien.
Governor Evers-backed Democrat David Crowley is holding a meet-and-greet Wednesday in Waukesha at La Estacion.
For voters like Kohls, forums like this one matter — even when not everyone shows up.
"I think it would've been good if Tom Tiffany would come, to just, to lend his ideas," Kohls said.
Sandy Hasel encouraged voters to take advantage of every opportunity to learn about the candidates.
"It's everybody's choice. Everybody's got to get out there and see what thye stand for, what they believe in," Hasel said.
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