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

The forum is being sponsored by The Farmville Herald.

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.

The event is co-sponsored by H-SC’s Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest.

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,” said Miles in an earlier press release. “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.”

The special election for the Senate seat is Tuesday, Jan. 10. The seat became vacant after Republican Sen. Tom Garrett was elected in November to represent 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.

The event is free and open to the public.