If legislators are the voice of the people, the people need to know what prospective legislators sound like.

That is the approach the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce is taking with its 2004 Candidates Forum. The public event will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Bowman Auditorium at Ohio University Southern.

Featured candidates in the debate will be Rep. Tom Niehaus (R-88th) and Paul Schwietering (D) vying for the Ohio Senate's 14th District; incumbent Clyde Evans (R) and Philip M. Roberts II (D) for the Ohio House of Representatives 87th District; incumbent Todd Book (D) and Richard S. Holt (R) for the 89th House District; incumbent Jason Stephens (R) and Mark. A. Malone (D) vying for Lawrence County Commission seat 1 and incumbent George Patterson (D) and Kenneth B. Ater (R) competing for the county commission seat 2.

"We attempted to include only those people who have legislative authority," said Dr. Bill Dingus, executive director of the chamber. "… From the chamber's vantage point, we are looking at the overall legislative levels and the importance of that. These are the decision makers who make the laws, not enforce the laws."

Each candidate will be given an opportunity to introduce themselves. Then facilitator Ed Dawson, executive editor of the Herald-Dispatch, will begin asking prepared questions. One candidate will receive a question, then his opponents will have a chance to rebut.

Anyone who would like to submit questions to the pool should call 377-4550 by noon Thursday to have them included. At the end of the forum, the audience will have the chance to submit questions as well, Dingus said.

"We want to boost votership in Lawrence County. That is our No. 1 goal," said Viviane Khounlavong, marketing director for the chamber. "We want to get Lawrence Countians acquainted with the candidates and give the people a chance to ask the candidate their questions face-to-face."

The event will be televised live on Ohio University Southern's television station in the Ironton area and on the Armstrong Cable system.

Still, Khounlavong encouraged the entire community to take advantage of this opportunity.

"This is an opportune time to get the candidates' opinions on key issues that concern the county," she said. "If someone is undecided, this could be the turning point in helping them decide."