LEWISTON – The four candidates hoping to be Maine’s next governor are set to appear together for the first time Monday at a forum on workforce development at the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Democrat Janet Mills, Republican Shawn Moody and independents Terry Hayes and Alan Caron have all confirmed their appearance at the 4:30 event at the Ramada Inn in Lewiston.

In the two most recent independent Maine polls, Moody, a businessman from Gorham, and Mills, Maine’s attorney general, were locked in a dead heat.

An AARP Maine poll of just over 800 voters over 50 released last week found Mills holding a 39 percent to 38 percent lead over Moody, with 15 percent undecided. Hayes and Caron were well behind at 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively. An August poll by Suffolk University of 500 Maine voters produced similar results, with 38.8 percent saying they would vote for Mills if the election were held the day they were surveyed while 39 percent said they would vote for Moody.

Monday’s forum will focus on workforce issues, with four questions centered around attracting and keeping younger Mainers in the state, attracting new residents, supporting immigration and on training and education for existing workers.

“The candidates will respond to four questions about their plans, as Governor, to support Maine’s second largest economy in workforce development,” according to the chamber’s web site. “One final question will be selected from index cards submitted by the audience during the forum.”

About 200 people are expected to attend the event.

This story will be updated.

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