Politics is messy and election season only tends to make it worse with the debates and complaints.

The Rotary Club of Maricopa is hoping to ease some of that tension with its upcoming “Meet Our Candidates” event next week.

The nonpartisan event will feature a casual environment for residents to meet and speak one-on-one with a range of leaders who impact Maricopa. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. on May 28 at the Maricopa Community Center, 41614 W. Smith-Enke Road.

“We wanted to [create] a safe place for everyone. For the candidates to come in, for people to meet them and for it to be non-partisan,” said Rotary Club President Antonia Presume. “That was very important for us.”

Organizers are aiming for a social atmosphere with food, drinks and activities, like a bingo-style game designed to encourage attendees to speak with every candidate in attendance.

Event organizer May McCarthey said she hopes the event helps residents move beyond assumptions formed through social media, campaign messages and arguments.

“We feel that meeting someone one-on-one really establishes the commonality that we all have,” she said.

Invited candidates and officials include Maricopa City Council, Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board, judicial and state-level races, as well as current and former elected officials connected to Maricopa.

McCarthey said they opted to expand beyond city limits “because they make an impact on the community itself and on Maricopa.”

Presume said she hopes attendees leave with “a stronger idea of who they’re voting for” and to see “a totally different side” of candidates.

“These are people who care about the community, they’re family people and their families maybe live in the community … and maybe you never knew that because you never really cared to listen to what they have to say because of these assumptions,” Presume said.

For more information, email the Rotary Club of Maricopa at [email protected].