More than 330 business and community members joined 41 candidates at the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Aug. 6 Meet the Candidates event at Tropicana Field. The Chamber’s inaugural straw poll showed Mayor Ken Welch leading the St. Petersburg mayoral field, Gabriel Hament topping City Council District 2 and Linsey Grove leading District 6. Organizers said the nonpartisan event was designed to give voters direct access to candidates and encourage informed participation ahead of the primary.