A state group reaching out to black voters across West Virginia will host state Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw at a candidate forum Monday (April 19) at West Virginia University.

The incumbent justice who is seeking reelection to the High Court will meet with members of the West Virginia African American Voting Electorate, WAAVE , from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at WVU ’s Center for Black Culture and Research.

WAAVE is a nonpartisan group that was founded last year in Washington during a black voters’summit organized in part by U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. WAAVE now has four regional branches across West Virginia.

The group launched its first forum last month, when it brought McGraw challenger Jim Rowe to WVU for the question-and-answer session.

Other forums will follow, said WVU doctoral student M. Noelle Lee, who helped found the group’s north-central West Virginia chapter.

Lee said while WAAVE won’t endorse any specific candidates, it will work hard to get their messages heardwhile getting voters to the polls on election day.

This year there is a new, unified voice in the electoral process,Lee said.WAAVE is registering voters, making arrangements to get them to the polls and ensuring they have objective information to help them make informed voting decisions.

For more information, call Lee at 304-685-5710, or the Center for Black Culture and Research at 293-7029. WAAVE ’s e-mail address is waave_wv@yahoo.com .