With every election cycle, the Chronicle News team and editorial board take seriously the trust our readers have given us to navigate the issues and make our recommendations for who and what deserves your vote. This year, we’ve added opportunities for you to see and hear firsthand from the people behind the propositions on the May 1 special election ballot.

Clockwise from top left: Chronicle News Editor Mike Clark-Madison, Save Austin Now’s Cleo Petricek, and Chris Harris from Homes Not Handcuffs

Chronicle News Editor Mike Clark-Madison conducted three virtual election forums, focusing on Proposition B – the citizen initiative to restore Austin’s prohibitions on public camping, panhandling, and other activities of homelessness – and on the suite of “democracy promotion” measures placed on the ballot by Austinites for Progressive Reform.

For Prop B, Save Austin Now co-founder Cleo Petricek and Homes Not Handcuffs’ Chris Harris debated the controversial camping ban and the city’s broader policies to address homelessness. Watch that discussion below.

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See our other forums on Prop F (“Strong Mayor”) and Props D, E, G, & H (“Democracy Dollars”).

For more local election news go to austinchronicle.com/elections.