Philadelphians mayor candidates Cherelle Parker, David Oh take questions from kids at Please Touch Museum
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In three weeks, Philadelphians will choose the city's 100th mayor on Election Day. Democrat Cherelle Parker will face off with Republican David Oh.
On Tuesday, Parker and Oh both laid out their visions for the future of the city, but not to voters.
Instead, both took questions from kids at the Please Touch Museum. Officials said while these kids don't have a vote, their voices should still be heard.
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"This is the trash can and this is the trash. And if I were mayor of Philadelphia, I would gather people to clean the Earth," Kitai Liles, of Inquiry Charter School, said.
But while Parker and Oh were at the same event, they took the stage separately. So far, Philadelphians haven't seen the candidates debate one on one.
The pair are slated to debate on the radio, but experts said not seeing the candidates square off is a break from the norm.
"I believe this is the first general election with a wide-open field, no incumbent, where we haven't had a debate in about 24 years," Lauren Cristella, the president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, said.
Cristella admits debates aren't as important as they were even 10 years ago as candidates have more ways to get their policies out.
As Election Day nears, Cristella said staying on message is important for Parker, who stuck to her platform on Tuesday.
"I wanted to make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in the nation, with economic opportunity for all," Parker said.
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Parker enters the home stretch as a heavy favorite in the race. Democrats have held the mayor's office for more than 70 years. Oh knows the uphill climb he faces and embraces his underdog status.
"I don't really concern myself with what other people think. I just look at things myself, I see a pathway, and I move forward. And I am undeterred," Oh said.
"He would need to convince a wide number of Democrats and third-party voters to vote for him on Election Day," Cristella said.
Philadelphia will head to the polls to elect the city's 100th mayor on Nov. 7.