As voters peruse their ballots for the Aug. 7 primary election, they’re presented with five candidates in the race for District 1 county commissioner, and four in the race in District 2.

The great thing about having so many candidates is that voters are presented with lots of information about important community issues – along with each candidate’s views on those issues and what they would do to address them.

In both commissioner primaries, there are candidates whose main goals are to provide effective management and leadership for Island County – exactly the job that voters “hire” them to do when they are elected to office.

Both primaries also include candidates who are more focused on their own small issues or grudges or are bent on refashioning county government in order to adhere to an ideology that does not benefit the people of Island County.

Under Washington’s top-two primary election system, the top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the general election, regardless of which party they are affiliated with.

In District 1, the two candidates whose primary focus is on providing effective, efficient government for the people of Island County are Democrat Helen Price Johnson, the incumbent, and Curt Gordon, an independent.

Johnson has provided calm, steady leadership at a time when the county budget has been slammed by the economic downturn and only one of her two fellow commissioners could be counted upon to work hard and make difficult decisions rather than spending time on political grandstanding to promote an ideology that is destructive and disrespectful of voters’ trust. And Gordon has long demonstrated his heartfelt commitment to serving his community.

In District 2, the two candidates that should advance to the general election are Democrat Angie Homola, the incumbent who is seeking a second term in office, and Jill Johnson-Pfeiffer, a Republican who is making her first run for elected office. Both women care deeply about the community and are eager to roll up their sleeves and get to work on behalf of the people of Island County.

Homola has spent the past four years focused on doing the job that voters put her in office to do. And while Johnson-Pfeiffer has no experience serving in public office, she is smart and energetic and certainly knows how to put the needs of county residents before her own.

With these four candidates on the ballot in the November general election, voters will have an opportunity to further explore the many important issues facing Island County – and size up the best candidates to lead our county through the next four years.

In next week’s primary, voters also will be asked to renew the property-tax levy that supports Emergency Medical Services provided through Whidbey General Hospital. This measure is worthy of voter approval, as our Island’s emergency medical response is not only a critical aspect of local health services, but also a key component to the livability and economic health of our community. Everyone hopes they’ll never need those services. But when we do, we need to know we can be confident in the availability of quality, life-saving medical care…….