This editorial has been edited to correct the call letters for WSAT/WSTP. 

You’ve read the news stories. You may even have met several candidates. But voters in the city of Salisbury are probably still wondering which of the 16 candidates to support in the City Council election.

Tonight’s forum at Hedrick Little Theater on the Catawba College campus should help make up your mind.

To get a sense of someone’s character and grasp of issues, there’s nothing like seeing him or her field questions on a stage. What they have to say is important, and so is how they say it. You can find out who seems to align with your stance on issues and consider who would be a good representative of the city.

Sixteen people are vying for the five seats on the council. That’s more than could fit onto the stage at once, so the debate is divided into two sessions featuring eight candidates each. The split was determined by drawing names from a hat in a short ceremony that the candidates were able to witness.

In addition to Catawba College, other sponsors of the forum are the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, the Salisbury Post and WSTP and WSAT radio stations. Their aim is to get all the candidates in front of the voters so informed decisions can be made on Election Day. The forum will be broadcast on the radio, videoed to be shown on television and covered by the Post. Choosing a council should not be a popularity contest; it should be centered on issues.

Readers of the Salisbury Post have sent  dozens of suggested questions, which we have shared with the forum moderator, Dr. Michael Bitzer, provost and professor of politics at Catawba College. Bitzer has become a sought-after expert on state and national politics. Only he knows which questions he plans to ask; he chooses them with considerable insight.

Consider this your invitation to attend the forum and see the action firsthand. You’ll be in good company — people who care about the future of Salisbury and will invest time in studying and hearing from the candidates. Early voting starts a week from today and the election is Nov. 3. It’s time to decide.