Voters will have the opportunity Oct. 26 to question the candidates in the special election to fill the unexpired term of former District 54 Rep. Alex Monsour during a candidate forum at the Warren County Courthouse.

The forum, presented by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Alumni, Blacks in Government and the Vicksburg Chapter of the NAACP, will start at 6 p.m. in the circuit courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse.

“Each candidate will be given five minutes to give an opening speech, and then we will take written questions from the audience,” sorority member Gertrude Young said.

The special election for House District 54 is Nov. 7 and is a nonpartisan race. If needed, a runoff will be held Nov. 28.

Three candidates have qualified for the election —Vicksburg contractor Joe Bonelli, Dr. Randy Easterling and Kevin Ford, owner of the Ford Insurance Agency.

Monsour, a Republican, resigned his seat in the Mississippi House July 5, about a month after defeating then-incumbent South Ward Alderman Willis Thompson in the June 6 municipal general election.

His resignation came after a state Attorney General’s opinion said he could no longer serve as District 54 representative because under the city’s special charter the aldermen has administrative as well as legislative responsibilities.

Prior to winning the alderman’s seat, he had served in the Legislature for 10 years.