A wife and husband are running — for separate offices, fortunately.
    A board would be created at the same time as the tax district it serves.
    Two longtime local elected public servants, both Republicans, are stepping into the statewide election arena.

These are just three of the sub-stories in the May 18 Primary Election ballot for Hood River County.

Voters around the state will find their ballots in the mail this weekend or Monday. Hood River County voters are called upon to weigh in on numerous local decisions as well as races for state offices and one for the U.S. Congress.

The two issues that seem to be drawing the most attention locally are the judicial race between two experienced attorneys, Tom Peachey and Janet Stauffer, and the proposed Library District.

As to the latter, voters will also be asked to fill five at-large positions, out of eight candidates, to serve on the district’s first board of directors.

That means voters will be voting for people to serve on a taxing district board that does not yet exist, and may be nullified if the tax district proposal goes down.

On this ballot, there is plenty to consider, including the first foray into statewide politics by Mark Johnson (Hood River County School Board chairman) and Chuck Thomsen (County Commissioner).

If you are a registered voter and your ballot does not arrive by Monday, call the county elections office (details on page 11) and find out why.

When you do receive your ballot, study it and prepare to vote.

Nationally, 2009 and 2010 are evolving as a transitional time for the public’s general attitude toward the political process; with the rise in prominence of the tea party phenomenon, many people are taking a new and/or more vocal interest in politics.

While a large tea party contingent has yet to emerge in Hood River County, time will tell. Meanwhile, the Primary reminds us of the traditional richness of the democratic process: citizens fulfilling their right to vote. On several levels, in this election there are races that involve our own neighbors.

The old saying may or may not be true, that all politics is local, but most politics starts local and some of it stays that way, and the one constant is the importance of casting the vote.