It's great to have choices in our three municipal elections - Truro, Stewiacke and Colchester County - plus school board. So many parts of the world don't.
And, by far, the most fascinating choice concerns who will serve as the next mayor of Truro.
On the surface, it would seem to be a one-sided match-up. Incumbent Bill Mills is a 28-year council veteran, 15 of those as mayor. He knows virtually every inch of the town and many of its residents. For many voters, that's enough.
Challenger Keltie Jones, by contrast, is a relative newcomer, having moved here with her family just three years ago. Not much time to get her name out there but she's no stranger to civic politics. In California, where the Bridgewater native attended university and worked for 25 years, she served for five years, one of them as president, on a school board that presided over a $65-million budget.
The two have waged a spirited campaign, offering contrasting viewpoints on high-profile issues such as a public transit system and the best location for a new library, and they have made a point of offering voters a clear option.
Mills, who took 75 per cent of the vote when he was last challenged in the 2004 election, is playing the experience factor.
"Now is not the time for on-the-job training," he told this paper. "We've had a pretty good track record for 15 years and I want to keep it going."
Jones is trumpeting the benefits of having a new person and vision in office.
"It's time for a change," she says. "I hear over and over again that nothing is happening and there is no leadership in town."
This paper isn't endorsing either candidate. From our vantage point, they both bring a passion for their community to the table.
What we do endorse is the largest turnout possible amongst the 9,133 eligible voters. To date the count is roughly 33 per cent. That's good, at least compared to the paltry 19 per cent figure of four years ago, but it still should be much higher. C'mon people! All you have to do is push a few buttons.
Could be a higher vote (and electronic-only voting) could favour Jones. Could be Truro voters will stick with the status quo. But at least they have a choice and in our books choice is a good thing.
