Election signs have increasingly dominated the Mount Airy landscape in recent weeks, candidates have appeared at organized forums and made less formal presentations to various community groups. One has spent a relatively large sum of money for a local election while others have chosen not to do so.

Several running for the soon-to-be-vacated mayoral post have commented on what they perceive is excessive city spending, or higher-than-acceptable public debt, prompting responses from other elected and appointed city officials.

A number of city residents also have made their presence known at these meetings, questioning city spending priorities, asking the candidates how they view these same spending choices the city commissioners have made.

Today, that field of four candidates for the city’s top elected post will be whittled to two in preparation for the final Nov. 3 election for that office, and the city’s residents, of course, will be the ones who make that choice.

We hope a vast majority of Mount Airy’s registered voters will cast ballots today. As with all elections, this race is important. Four candidates with varying backgrounds and views on how city government should be run have their names on the ballots. While all certainly have strong qualifications for the position, there are most definitely differences on how they would conduct the office of mayor.

Mount Airy residents deserve the best leadership available, and fortunately for them, they have the opportunity to take an active role in choosing that leadership.

Simply visit the proper voting location and cast a ballot.