LEWISTON – Throughout the rest of the month, Maine PBS and Maine Public Radio will host several programs that explore the candidates and the issues on Maine’s November ballot.

“Vote 2004: 1st District Debate” will be broadcast at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, on Maine Public Radio. There will be 20 minutes of questions with incumbent Democratic Rep. Tom Allen and Republican challenger Charlie Summers from Maine Public Radio’s Jeanne Baron. The remainder of the hour will be devoted to listener calls.

Then at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, on Maine PBS and at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, on Maine Public Radio, Baron and Mainewatch’s Charlotte Renner will question the 1st District candidates on such issues as homeland security concerns in southern Maine, economic development, tax reform and base closings.

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Michael Michaud, Republican challenger Brian Hamel and Socialist Equality Party candidate Carl Cooley will debate Maine’s economy, jobs and education in a 2nd District debate airing at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, on Maine PBS and at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, on Maine Public Radio. The one-hour debate will be hosted by Renner and Maine PBS public affairs producer John Greenman.

A debate on the bear baiting issue will air on Maine Public Radio at 1 p.m. Oct. 20. In this program, there will be 20 minutes of questions about the bear baiting issue with the remainder of the hour devoted to listener calls. Susan Chisholm hosts the program.

A one-hour debate on the Palesky 1 percent tax cap referendum question between Phil Harriman of Tax Cap YES! and Anne Davis of Citizens United to Protect our Public Safety will be hosted by Renner and Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever. It will air at 4 p.m. Oct. 29 and Oct. 31 on Maine Public Radio and at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 29 and 10 a.m. Oct. 31 on Maine PBS.

Maine’s Tax Cap Measure: Understanding the Options, will be broadcast at 1 p.m. Oct. 15 and 12:30 p.m. Oct. 19 on Maine Public Radio. This special 90-minute edition of “Speaking in Maine” was recorded at a Muskie Forum at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. Participants include professor Charlie Colgan of USM’s Muskie School; Bill Becker, executive director of the Maine Heritage Policy Center; and Christopher St. John, executive director of the Maine Center for Economic Policy.

Another hour-long program on the tax cap measure will feature 20 minutes of questions with the remainder of the hour devoted to listener calls, beginning at 1 p.m. Oct. 27 on Maine Public Radio. Bever will host the program.

For complete schedules and information, visit www.mainepublicradio.org or www.mainepbs.org and click on Vote 2004.