One way to think about election campaigns is to view the process as if you were a hiring manager.

Usually, the hiring process begins with a review of resumes from the job-seekers. Then, the top candidates are brought in for a job interview.

It’s a rare thing indeed for an employer to make a hire based on the resume alone. The employer wants to go beyond what is provided on the resume by asking questions and having a face-to-face conversation.

Most of what we have seen to this point in this year’s municipal elections is resume material, appearances and campaign literature and advertising designed to highlight the candidate’s strengths and the issues the candidate feels most confident about.

On May 27 at the Lyceum at Lee, The Dispatch will sponsor a Columbus Mayoral Forum. All three remaining candidates, Democratic primary winner Stephen Jones, Independent Darren Leach and Independent Bill Strauss, have agreed to participate in this event. The candidates will appear on a stage for an hour and a half and will answer questions from two moderators: WCBI’s Joey Barnes and Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair.

Approximately 500 seats are available at Lyceum at Lee, so this is likely to be the public’s best chance to see all three candidates share a stage before the June 3 general election.

It’s the closest thing to a job interview available to voters.

The candidates will answer questions submitted by voters prior to the event. It’s the chance for voters to decide what topics are most important to them and evaluate the candidates by their responses. It’s not an inquisition, but a conversation, something we feel is important to voters as they head to the polls.

The Dispatch sponsored a similar forum, also held at the Lyceum, four years ago, an event that was well-received and well-attended by both candidates and voters, despite intense fear of COVID at the time.

Much of the success of these forums rests on voter participation, which is two-fold.

First, make plans to attend by reserving tickets, which are free but required for entrance. There is a limit of four tickets per person. Second, we urge people to consider what questions are important for candidates to answer. This is your chance to set the narrative and get away from scripted messaging that often doesn’t provide much insight.

You can do both of these things by visiting cdispatch.com/forum.

The Dispatch is proud to provide this public service and believe it will help voters be better-informed about this important election.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.