Primary election: Rod Roberson wins Elkhart's Democratic mayoral primary

Rod Roberson has won the Democratic nomination for Elkhart mayor. He will face Republican Dave Miller in the general election.

Roberson beat Ashley Boling Molyneaux, the head of the Elkhart education Foundation.

ABC57 spoke with both candidates on Election Day.

“It is thrilling that we’re now going to find out who’s going to be the Democratic candidate for mayor in Elkhart," Boling-Molyneaux said.

“The preparation work has now been done. Now it’s up to the voters," Roberson said.

We asked a couple of voters what issues concern them and what are they looking for in the next mayor.

“Economic development in the neighborhoods," Gary Johnson said.

“Honesty, Integrity, personality. Actually hands on, one on one with them. I think that’s absolutely necessary part of the job. You can't govern from an ivory tower," Mick Slater said.

The candidates say what voters want is important.

“It's also given us a chance to say, not just what our vision may be for the city, but who we are as people. That’s important too because you want to vote for someone you feel possesses the values that you want to be carried out in the role of mayor," Roberson said.

“We have to be thinking about the things that impact our lives every single day and the streets, the snow plowing, the safety, those are things that impact our lives every day, and those are the things that are taken care of the local level so local elections absolutely matter," Boling-Molyneaux said.

The winner of the primary election will face Dave Miller, the Republican candidate for mayor.