Pulse of Providence: Meet the Candidates for Providence Ward 15

Voters in the Providence neighborhoods of Olneyville, Valley and part of Silver Lake will head to the polls on June 8 for a special election primary.

There are five Democrats running for the Providence City Council Ward 15 seat — and no Republicans or independents — which means the winner of the June 8 primary will be the only candidate on the ballot for the July 6 general election.

The seat was vacated by former Council President Sabina Matos last month after she was appointed by Gov. Dan McKee to be lieutenant governor. Matos had held the seat for a decade and was slated to be term-limited next year.

The candidates for the seat are Doris De Los Santos, Iasha Hall, Casandra Inez, Santos Javier and Oscar Vargas.

The voter registration deadline for the primary is this Sunday, May 9. Voters can send in a mail ballot application until May 18, or can vote in person. The polling locations have not yet been set.

In the video interviews below, the candidates answer questions on what they hope to accomplish if elected, their views on charter schools, the city’s finances, the 6-10 connector project and other important issues facing Ward 15 and the city.