This is the year for municipal elections for cities and towns to choose mayors, commissioners, councilmen, and town board members to “run the city” in the years immediately ahead. With the filing deadlines a few months down the road, the purpose of this editorial is to encourage you to begin thinking about the elections, and urging good men and women to seek office. The officials of your city and town, by their decisions, have a big influence upon your lives. They set tax levies; pass laws and set policies that govern the community; decide on building programs and plan water-sewer projects. Public safety (police and fire protection, etc.) are in their hands. They set the tone for progress, status-quo, or retrogression. How often have you heard voters say, before election day; “With the poor choice of candidates on the ballot, why go to the polls?” Such may be an imwarranted criticism. Over the years, the cities and towns of Central Utah have been fortunate, generally, to have good caliber folks in office. But political slates lacking qualified persons in some categories can and does happen and the community stands to suffer for it. , It’s important to go to the polls on election day. But it’s also important for good citizens to concern themselves with getting qualified persons to run for office and be willing themselves to serve if conditions are right for this. Those with the necessary qualifications who are available to serve in one elective capacity or another shouldn’t be bashful about making themselves available. Such willingness is a commendable act of citizenship. The 1977 municipal elections will be Nov, 8, with the primary election Oct. 11 in Provo only. Those interested in filing for mayor or one commissioner in Provo may do so anytime before Sept. 19. A petition with signatures of 100 qualified voters must be tumed in to the city recorder’s office by that date. Provo is a city of the second class, and partisan politics are not allowed in second class cities ; thus a primary election is needed. For cities of the third class, such as Orem, Springville, etc., and for towns, the petition filing deadline is Oct. 11. The deadline for holding party mass meetings for nominations is Oct. 10. Offices generally open in the third class cities this year include the mayorship and some of the council seats. Early? Yes, the politcal pot hasn’t begun to simmer yet – but the season will roll around before you know it. That’s why it’s well to be thinking about the election now. So They Say “I hope a major confrontation between the so-called Sun Belt and the so-called freezing areas does not shape up. The ultimate result would be an equal distribution of misery to all.” – Sen. John G. Tower, R-Rex., on the fight in Congress to divert federal money from booming Sun Belt states back to economically lagging Northern and Midwestern rates.