The election to determine who will fill the Providence City Council seat left vacant by Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos is closer than you might think.

While the general election for Ward 15 is set for July 6, with all four candidates running as Democrats, Tuesday’s primary will leave only one name on the ballot.

So what are the issues, and who are the people who think they can fix them? The Providence Journal spoke with each one to find out.

Here’s a primer.

Doris De Los Santos, Ward 15 candidate

Doris De Los Santos

With about $22,000 in campaign contributions, Doris De Los Santos is leading the pack when it comes to fundraising. She also benefits from what she described as a “close relationship” with Matos, who has offered her endorsement along with Sen. Sam Bell, Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera and others. 

Having spent two decades in Ward 15, residing in the same home in which she raised her two children, De Los Santos said she has “seen the growth and I also see decline of my community,” emphasizing that “it has been ravaged with the pandemic.”