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By Lesley Stedman Weidenbener
Courier-Journal.com Reporter

INDIANAPOLIS U.S. Rep. Baron Hill will try to talk with thousands of his 9th District constituents on Monday in a town hall meeting.

But the event is via telephone, and residents who want to participate must first complete an online form (http://indiana09townhall.com/) or call (202) 225-5315 to sign up. That keeps the meeting in line with an Indiana law that prohibits most automated phone calls.

"We're actively trying to get as many folks to participate as we can," said Hill's press secretary, Katie Moreau. "We're using every means possible at our disposal to get the word out and hope that people can find time in their busy summer schedules to join the call and ask Baron a question."

The one-hour meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Those who have signed up should expect a call and can then be connected to the conference, where some participants will be able to ask questions.

The calls have become increasingly popular among members of Congress since the technology has improved and in-person town hall meetings have become more volatile.

"We see a lot of advantages to using the telephone format," Moreau said. "Folks can participate from the comfort of their own home, and that's particularly helpful given the large geographic area the 9th District encompasses. Plus, we aren't constrained by factors like room space size, etc."

In a similar call sponsored by the AARP last year, 5,100 of the group's 9th District members participated and 14 asked Hill questions. Participants did not have to sign up in advance for that meeting because the AARP called only its own members, making them exempt from the automated call law.

The questions on the AARP call were prescreened, but they were not all easy. Several members pressed Hill about his support for the federal heath care law.

Still, Kelly Khuri, an organizer of the Clark County Tea Party and a self-described Libertarian-leaning Republican, is skeptical about Monday's event, although she signed up right away to participate.

"It probably won't be any different than a town hall meeting at IUS (Indiana University Southeast) where Baron Hill calls on who he wants," she said. "I'm sure they know who they're going to call on."

Asked about how or whether questions will be screened, Moreau said only that, "We'll take the most questions we can in the time allotted."

Hill will use iConstituent to host his meeting. The company says on its website that the telephone town halls allow public officials to "reach thousands of constituents quickly and effectively."

To learn more about Telephone Town Hall