photo by: W.Va. Legislative Photography

Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, listens to a colleague on the House floor during this year’s legislative session.

WHEELING — The West Virginia Legislature’s 11 Democrats are bringing their listening tour to Wheeling next month.

The Democratic Executive Committees of the Northern Panhandle are joining together to host the “West Virginia Kitchen Table Listening Tour” at 6 p.m. Oct.16 at the Ironworkers Hall, 2350 Main St., Wheeling.

All Democrats serving in the West Virginia Democratic Caucus are planning to attend, according to Marshall County Democratic Party Chair Barb Scott. There are 91 Republicans and nine Democrats serving in the House of Delegates. In the state Senate, there are 32 Republicans and two Democrats.

There will be online registration for the event, and the opportunity for attendees to pre-submit questions for caucus members to answer.

Those wanting to register or submit questions should first go to the Wheeling Stop-Kitchen Table Tour page on Facebook.

The Democratic Caucus also will take the “Kitchen Table Listen Tour” to other locations in the state throughout September and October — including Huntington, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Charleston, Fairmont and Lewisburg — before concluding in Beckley on Nov. 3. Other locations are expected to be added.

“The title is just that — a listening tour,” Scott said. “They want to hear from constituents and know what their primary concerns are before the session. People can submit questions and get up and speak during the event.

“An email is not the same as speaking in person. We know we need to narrow the distance between Wheeling and Charleston.”

Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, noted the listening sessions “aren’t so much about us getting out our message.”

“It’s about us getting out to hear the message from the people,” he said. “Democracy works better when we get out into the constituency to hear what the issues are.”

Pushkin noted there was “a great turnout” for the first event in Huntington this week.

“The purpose of these events is to get members from all over the state to hear from constituents from all over the state,” he said. “What we found last night is that people want to talk about issues that affect their everyday lives — the real issues they care about.”

Among these are the increase in Public Employee Insurance Agency premiums, and “a lack of a solid plan that takes workers’ wellbeing into account.”

The public is also concerned about access to childcare, and the state of education in West Virginia, Pushkin continued.

“I hope people realize the Democratic caucus does care about their concerns, and does care about their issues,” Scott in Marshall County added. “The members want to hear directly from constituents, address their issues and hopefully make a difference.”