“Melrose Place” star joins SC lawmakers to unveil bipartisan statewide forum

And they're hoping you will participate.

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Legislators from both sides of the aisle are hoping citizens across South Carolina will join a new forum — and bring light to the issues most affecting them.

Lawmakers say too often decisions are made without any real input from everyday people across the state. They believe their efforts will change that.

It’s called “The South Carolina Forum” — and its leaders are made up of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

“This is truly a way for us to plug our constituents in to the process,” says Republican Rep. Brandon Newton from District 45.

Andrew Shue, former “Melrose Place” actor turned social entrepreneur, is the creator of the forum. The initiative has been tested in other states including Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Missouri.

First, Shue says, the forum will place non-partisan digital ads across the state.

100,000 citizens will be chosen to take part online — and build consensus around issues they believe can reach 70% approval from South Carolina’s General Assembly.

“People across the country want to be heard and they want the division to end. People are exhausted by our politics, and we need a process to give people something to do. I think a country that does something together, stays together,” says Shue.

From there, 100 people will be selected to meet in person for three days — where they’ll deliberate and decide on what ideas are presented before lawmakers.

“We need to hear from the people of South Carolina. Not just the fringe groups, the extreme groups, or the special interest groups, we need to hear from the bulk of South Carolina,” says Democratic Rep. Beth Bernstein of District 78.

“Often the loudest voices get mistaken for the majority, but loud is not the same as consensus,” says Jennifer Cunningham, Vice Chair of the Richland County Republican Party.

Interested South Carolinians can go to www.scforum.org to participate.

Shue says people who may not have voted in past elections or who are disillusioned with politics are still welcome to join.

“I think Americans across the country are genuinely concerned about where we are going, and they don’t see a way out of this division, so I’m really excited about this because I think it gives us that way out. It lets the American people lead that way out,” says Shue.

Leaders say the forum is funded by multiple foundations and individuals from both parties and has no political agenda.