Candidates Spar Over Safety, Spending, and Justice at Clarion County Election Forum

CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Judicial accessibility, law enforcement priorities, and borough infrastructure took center stage Tuesday night as candidates for multiple Clarion County offices addressed voters at the ExploreClarion.com Primary Forum held at the Haskell House.

Contenders in contested races were introduced as part of a structured forum that gave each candidate a platform to outline their priorities. District judge hopefuls delivered timed statements, while candidates in other races responded to questions submitted by members of the public and randomly selected in front of the live crowd. The event aimed to give residents a clear view of those seeking to influence daily life in Clarion County, from the courtroom to the borough streets.

In District 18-3-04, magisterial candidate Jennifer Bindernagel cited personal experience as a courtroom victim as her motivation to run. She criticized Clarion County’s low number of emergency protection orders, calling the 2023 total of 38 “alarmingly low” compared to counties of similar size.

“If people don’t feel safe coming forward, or if they believe their voices won’t be heard, then our justice system isn’t doing enough,” Bindernagel said.




https://www.exploreclarion.com/politics/2025/05/01/candidates-spar-over-safety-spending-and-justice-at-clarion-county-election-forum-845005/