DATE: Saturday, September 27, 1997          TAG: 9709270001

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Opinion 
SOURCE: BY L. DOUGLAS WILDER 

                                            LENGTH:   72 lines

DEBATE OFFERS VOICE FOR VIRGINIANS

Few people dispute that one of America's greatest accomplishments is our democratic system of government. Every citizen gets a vote for the future, from the basic level of city council to the nation's highest elected official, our president.

Americans are quick to argue for the preservation of this privilege - our freedom to vote - but too small a percentage actually accepts the responsibility on Election Day of going to the polling station and casting a ballot.

This fall, Virginians are in the midst of a campaign to elect this state's next governor.

The initial polls show a close contest between Republican James S. Gilmore III and Democrat Donald S. Beyer Jr. But more startling - and more troubling - findings emerge when you take a closer look at the Commonwealth Poll, conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University just before Labor Day.

By that point, these two candidates already had spent $7 million on campaigning; despite the torrent of spending, they hadn't succeeded in getting their messages through to the voting public. Two-thirds of likely votes couldn't say much about the candidates or their positions. Even more distressing, these voters couldn't tell where either Beyer or Gilmore stood on key issues in the campaign, including tax proposals, education and government's role in tobacco regulation.

The poll also should sound a cautionary note for politicians who believe they can deal with the voters through simplistic statements and arguments.

For example, many respondents gave broad support for a cut in the personal property tax, but then changed their minds when asked how else the state could use this money. More than 60 percent of those favoring a tax cut would rather spend this money on improving public schools.

Perhaps it's time for politicians to reassess their assumptions about the voters and how to communicate with them. And rather than sharing their opinions solely through the public surveys, it's time for Virginians to raise the issues they want addressed directly with the candidates.

I for one am not willing to let this election pass by without injecting Virginians into the campaign. On Oct. 6 at VCU, Gilmore and Beyer will face off in a debate that includes traditional questions from panelists and direct questions between the candidates.

But the hallmark of this debate - and one of the primary reasons I am proud to moderate this event - will be a segment that features direct questions from the people the state's future chief executive will govern. VCU has set up a toll-free telephone number and a World Wide Web site to receive questions from the public. So far, dozens of Virginians have responded, and from these inquiries we are getting a real-world picture of the issues that citizens want their next governor to address.

Every year, we hear a lot of banter about which candidate is going to ``turn out the vote,'' but we miss a key opportunity to focus on preparing an electorate that truly understands the issues and gets its questions answered.

By asking for comments from citizens in every county and city, we can have a true discussion that will give Virginians insight about the state's future leader. Virginians must embrace this opportunity to put real questions on the table. A democracy needs to engage everyone in the political process, and we have taken this responsibility to heart in developing a debate format that relies on citizen involvement for its success.

I urge each citizen to put these two candidates to the test. Your voices need and deserve to be heard.

Amid the politicking and rhetoric that occur with each political season, I'm issuing a true challenge for Virginians to take a greater role in selecting the right individual to lead this state for the next four years. These questions will shape the debate, and you'll get direct, unrehearsed answers that will help you decide for whom you will cast your vote.

This debate relies in part on raising the issues you truly want addressed. Just call 1-800-375-4010 or visit the Debate Virginia website at (www.vcu.edu/debate). KEYWORDS: ANOTHER VIEW

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