Go down the ballot and you realize how important this election is to us all

There’s lots at stake, locally; please vote

By now, we’re all excited for the elections to be over. Of course, on the national level, the run-up to the midterms will probably be replaced by some other rhubarb.

But on the local level, things will settle down. Members of different sides will grow less divided – even the most hardcore partisans will eventually realize that you can’t constantly bedevil someone you’re likely to sit next to at a school concert or other community function.

For many of us, the actual election day is a bit anti-climactic because we returned our voteby-mail ballots some time ago. But there are still hordes of folks who wait until the actual day, out of habit or ritual or to feel as if they’re part of something, or just to get a coveted “I Voted” sticker.

If you haven’t voted, please plan to go to the polls. There are real local issues represented by the candidates. We’ll be especially looking for results for:

A Sutter County sheriff’s race. While the resources routed to public safety are usually well over the amount for any other category, there is never enough for all the protection we’d all like to have. We all seem to be stressed these days ... maybe we worry about crime a little more than is warranted by the actual statistics, but there’s a real fear we have for how we’ll get along day to day. The new sheriff will have his hands full spreading out his resources and communicating to the populace.

Supervisor seats in Sutter and Yuba counties. These are the people who may not always be in the position to set policy for all the departments, but have some control over the purse strings. Their job is to keep things running, to mind the vital infrastructure we all rely on, to advocate for all of us. They represent us to the outside world, as well.

Of particular interest has been the race for Yuba County’s 5th District seat, now occupied by incumbent Randy Fletcher, challenged by Alton Wright and write-in candidate John Mistler. Some have graded the campaigning a bit on the pithy side and it does seem that the candidates have gotten under each other’s skin, but we’re predicting people get over that. There was some range in the ideas and stances taken during candidate forums ... all in all a good thing.

Yuba City council candidates – nine of them running for three seats – laid out a bunch of visions for how things should be managed and how the city should grow and develop. There’s also been some critical discussion about how things have been handled – particularly how the city approached the handling of a solid waste disposal contract. Some pride and feelings have been chafed. Time to get over that. There’s lots to be concerned with, going ahead.

Marysville City Council – three candidates (one incumbent) for two seats. If you’ve lived around here the last few years, you know the struggles that the little city has gone through and you’ll realize how important good policy management is for the next few years. This council election is important.

Voters in parts of Yuba County will decide the fate of a couple proposals, too. Measure J would approve a bond issue to address infrastructure needs for the Marysville Joint Unified School District. Measure K provides for a 1-cent sales tax for unincorporated parts of the county – the money raised would be intended to add resources for public safety and other essential services.

We’re also interested in the fate of statewide Proposition 6. It would do away with an increase in gas taxes and some automobile fees passed by the Legislature. Less taxes, says one side; fix our lousy roads, says the other.

All in all, a high stakes election. Please, vote.

Our View editorials represent the opinion of the Appeal-democrat and its editorial board and are edited by the publisher and/or editor. Members of the editorial board include: Publisher Glenn Stifflemire and Editor Steve Miller.