Polls open Tuesday for the primary election, and even though Freeborn County won’t elect new representatives for two more months, much is already at stake as voters trim down the list of candidates.

In all the local primary races &045; including mayor of Albert Lea, Freeborn County sheriff and Albert Lea city council &045; there are key choices to be made.

When it comes to mayor and city council, the volume of candidates, the strength of the debates and the high level of interest among voters seems to suggest that people are placing a lot of stock in the importance of our city representatives. And they should; with many important issues on the table, starting, of course, with the always-changing Farmland situation, the people we elect will be entrusted with some important decisions.

In general, it would serve Albert Lea well if people cast their ballots for the candidates who stand for a strong, active mayor and city council and who refuse to limit themselves or their goals. At such a key time, it would suit the city to have representatives with boundless vision. Having goals in mind for the city, even if they seem hard to attain, is important because a positive direction will be necessary if Albert Lea is to fully take advantage of the potential opportunities it faces, from the old Farmland site, which it now appears the city will own, to the culminating lake action, to a downtown plan that could transform a large portion of the city’s historic district.

It goes without saying that voting is important. With so many good candidates to choose from, the hardest part may be deciding which to choose. But if voters keep in mind the goals expressed by each, and measure those ideas against their own, they should be able to make a decision that will suit the city in the future.