Voters are invited to "meet the candidates" during a brunch on Sunday.

Mattie McGrady, chairman of the Pike County Alabama Democratic Conference, said state and local candidates have been invited to attend the brunch. "We’re getting in touch with all those running for state and local office," she said.

The brunch takes place from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at 245 Montgomery Street.

Guest speaker for the event will be Joe Reed, associate executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association and chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference.

Reed served as executive secretary of the Alabama State Teachers Association from 1964 to 1969. He is a member of numerous professional associations and has served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention seven times. He is chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference and vice chair of the Democratic Party for Minority Affairs. He was national co-chair for the Committee of Educators for the Humphrey/Muskie ticket in 1968.

For more than 25 years, he has led the effort to get more blacks elected and appointed to federal office, including federal marshals, federal and state judges, members of the board of registrar, legislators, county commissioners, city councils and school boards.

Today, Alabama has more black elected officials than any state in the nation.

He has drafted a plan to increase black legislators in the House from 19 to 27 and from five to eight in the Senate. He also has drafted a plan to provide for two majority black congressional seats. Both plans are now in litigation.

He is a former chairman of the Board of Trustees at Alabama State University and has been rated as one of the 10 most influential citizens in the state of Alabama.

Anyone wanting more information can contact McGrady at 808-4061.