There’s less than a week left before the crowded Boston City Council race’s preliminary election on September 24th. Last week on Under the Radar we aired the first of two shows dedicated to this crucial election featuring candidates for Boston City Council’s District 5 seat.

This week Under the Radar was joined by the five candidates for Boston City Council’s District 8, which includes the neighborhoods of Back Bay/Beacon Hill, Fenway/Kenmore, Mission Hill and West End. The candidates spoke with host Callie Crossley at WGBH's satellite studio at the Boston Public Library.

The deadline to register for the November 5th election is October 16th.

Guests in first half:

Helene Vincent - A mediator, negotiator, and longtime activist for social and environmental justice and the LGBTQ community. She was formerly the director of research and academic partnerships at Education First and the youngest president of the Downtown Boston Rotary Club. This is her first time running for public office.

Kenzie Bok - Lifelong Boston resident and affordable housing expert and community leader. She is currently the senior adviser for policy and planning at the Boston Housing Authority and the former chair of Boston’s Ward 5 Democratic Committee. She served as budget director for Boston City Councilor Anissa Essaibi George. She is also a first-time candidate.

Jennifer Nassour - Long-time Boston resident currently living in Back Bay. She is an attorney and the CEO of the nonpartisan women’s representation coalition, ReflectUS. She served as former chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party. This is her first time running for public office.

Guests in second half:

Montez Haywood - West End resident and prosecutor. He is currently the assistant district attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and a faculty member at Harvard Law School's Trial Advocacy Workshop. He is also a first-time candidate.

Kristen Mobilia - Community organizer, advocate and longtime Boston resident. She is currently vice president of finance and human resources at VideoLink LLC, a Boston area broadcast and video production firm, and trustee of the Lincoln Halls Condo Association. She also served as president and board member of the city’s historic Fenway Victory Gardens. She ran for the District 8 seat against retiring City Councilor Josh Zakim in 2017. She is the only candidate in the District 8 race who has run for office before.