(KNZA)--Voices representing decades of legal, policy, and statehouse journalism experience will provide northeast Kansas voters with multiple perspectives regarding the approaching August 4 ballot question on how the state selects its Supreme Court justices.

The forum, billed as High Court, High Stakes, brings together a past president of the Kansas Bar Association, a Hiawatha attorney, and editors from the Kansas Reflector, for a free public discussion Tuesday evening, July 14, at 6:30, at the Morrill Public Library in Hiawatha.

Panelists include Natalie Haag, who spent eight years on the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission and now serves as executive vice president and general counsel of Capitol Federal Savings Bank, and Kevin Hill, an attorney practicing in Hiawatha. Clay Wirestone, opinions editor for the Kansas Reflector, rounds out the panel, with Sherman Smith, the Reflector's editor in chief, moderating.

The panel will explain how the current merit selection process for Supreme Court justices came about, following the so called triple play of 1956, how that system works today, and how the proposed constitutional amendment could change it going forward.

Audience questions will follow the panel discussion.

Organizers say the vote is open to all registered Kansans, regardless of party.

Brown County United is hosting the event with the goal of educating voters ahead of the primary election.

Anyone not yet registered to vote in Kansas must do so by the end of business Tuesday, July 14, ahead of that evening's forum.