Having a primary election on August 21 will be a new experience for voters. In the past most media and a large number of the candidates refrained from talking much about candidates until after Labor Day because everybody was on holiday or otherwise engaged in summer in Seattle.

This year, though, we have to begin soon to find out who these candidates are and what they stand for. This newspaper will invite candidates to editorial board meetings - this year in late July and early August - to discuss with them their views on the issues. Our practice is to interview candidates individually, while attending candidate forums as often as possible.

Races for and Seattle Schools will be very important this year.

Many believe the directors of the Seattle School Board are ineffective and torn my internal strife. Certainly the issue of closing and combining schools has been contentious. Directors appear to have cut and run from support of Superintendent Raj Manhas when it came to closing schools, leaving him alone and unsupported. What that his fault or directors?

A new superintendent, one who appears to be a very strong leader, may help the district, but strong candidates are essential. These directors must form a bond and not go off in strange directions as some do now. A cohesive board can advance the quality of our schools.

In the primary election, voters choose candidates only in the director district in which they live. That means West Seattle voters will choose candidates to replace retiring Director Irene Stewart. Ballard voters have no primary choice because Sally Soriano has only one person seeking her seat. All voters vote on all school director candidates in the general election.

City Council has no major catastrophe to overcome, but this newspaper has been mildly disappointed at the apparent surrender to Mayor Greg Nickels. We would like to see some ideas that counter some of Nickels initiatives. The mayor, who appears ready to become Mayor For Life, has many good programs, but like all czars, he needs a constituent assembly to maintain connection with reality.

There are four City Council positions up for re-election. Only West Seattle's Tom Rasmussen is running unopposed. Sally Clark and Jean Godden are seeking re-election and have opponents. Peter Steinbrueck is retiring and five candidates are seeking the position.

Stay reading, we will have more information on all races as time goes by.

- Jack Mayne