The three candidates seeking to represent Virginia’s 22nd Senate District will participate in a candidate forum Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. in Johns Auditorium at Hampden-Sydney College (H-SC).

The Farmville Herald is sponsoring the forum. H-SC’s Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest is co-sponsoring the event.

Democrat Ryant L. Washington, of Fluvanna; Republican Mark Peake, of Lynchburg; and independent Joe Hines, of Rice, accepted invitations to attend the forum, which will be moderated by Herald senior staff writer T. Jordan Miles III.

Established in 1996 and named for former H-SC President Lt. Gen. Samuel V. Wilson, the Wilson Center oversees leadership, public service and civic education for Hampden-Sydney students, faculty, staff and alumni; area high school teachers and students; and a variety of community and national educational organizations.

The forum will include timed opening statements, candidates’ responses to questions from the moderator, rebuttals and closing statements.

“Civility and statesmanship in politics is being demanded now more than ever,” Miles said. “This forum, which The Herald is proud to organize and sponsor in collaboration with the esteemed Wilson Center, is part of our mission to inform the public with information that affects them the most, coupled with keeping the people’s issues — jobs, the economy, taxes and education — in the forefront of policymakers’ minds.”

The special election for the Senate seat is Tuesday, Jan. 10. The seat became vacant after Republican Sen. Tom Garrett’s election in November to the 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The district includes all of Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Prince Edward and Goochland counties and parts of Louisa County and the city of Lynchburg.