A candidate forum for both Horry County Council District 3 and the Myrtle Beach City Council candidates will be held today at the Canal Street Recreation Center.

This will provide a double opportunity for those living on the South end of Myrtle Beach to see and hear the candidates they will be voting for next week.

First round voting for the special election to fill the unexpired term of former council member Marion Foxworth in the county District 3 and the general election for Myrtle Beach city council will be held Tuesday November 3rd.

The forum for the county council candidates will begin at 5 p.m. It will run approximately one and one-half hours. A 15 minute break will occur between the two forums with the city council forum scheduled to start at 6:45 p.m.

Each forum will include opening and closing statements by the candidates and questioning of the candidates on important issues facing local government. The public will have the opportunity to participate in the forums by submitting questions, of particular concern to them, to the forum moderators.

Between the two forums, two appreciation of service awards will be presented.

Former Horry County Council member for District 3 Marion Foxworth will be one recipient. Foxworth resigned from office in August to accept the job as Horry County Registrar of Deeds.

Retiring city council member Susan Grissom Means will be the other recipient of an appreciation of service award.

This forum is being held as the campaigns accelerate into high gear for the final week of electioneering.

South Carolina is known for its hardball (many would call it dirty) politics. One only has to go back to the 2000 smear campaign waged against presidential candidate John McCain in South Carolina.