NATCHEZ — Approximately 200 people turned out at the Natchez Convention Center Monday evening to listen to the candidates for the Adams County Supervisors’ positions whose names would appear on the ballot during the Aug. 6 primary election.

Debbie Hudson, Chamber of Commerce President, said Monday’s gathering would be the first of two public forums allowing voters to hear from their prospective leaders.

Today’s candidate forum begins at 5:30 p.m. and doors open at 5 p.m., at the Natchez Convention Center, and attendees will hear from candidates vying for the positions of Adams County Sheriff, Circuit Clerk, Tax Assessor and Tax Collector positions, Hudson said.

“Our government system, although not perfect, is amazingly resilient and only works when voters become involved in the process,” Hudson said.

During Monday’s forum, each candidate gave a two-minute introduction and answered three questions that were handpicked by a Chamber of Commerce committee from a number of questions submitted by the community, Hudson said, adding questions that were asked more frequently in the community were given preference by the selection committee.

Each candidate was asked what they thought the most important challenges facing Adams County are and how they would address those challenges, what services they would be willing to consolidate and whether they would support an elected school board and why.

Candidates were also able to ask a fourth and final question addressing their opponents and were given one minute to answer each question and a one-minute closing statement.

All five of the incumbent Adams County Supervisors sat behind the microphone Monday evening along with 11 of their competitors.

“I came here because I was curious about the candidates,” said Karen Hill, adding she has lived in Adams County for five years. “A lot of times I will go to vote and I don’t know a lot of the candidates.”

Hill said today’s forum would be of particular interest to her because it would introduce a whole new round of contenders for county positions whom she has never heard from before.

“I’ll be back (Tuesday) night for sure, ” Hill said, “because it has a broader interest to me, and I’ll get to meet more candidates. Tonight was more about the supervisors and I can only vote in one district.”