There is a stark contrast this year between Bothell and Kenmore when it comes to their respective city council elections. The normal jostling of candidates for each position took place late last month to see who will run and who won’t. In Bothell, it mainly came down to who won’t run.

Longtime Bothell Councilman Patrick Ewing decided to step away from elected office. During his service, Ewing served as mayor and has given his time to the city – a fact that any elected representative should be commended. And by the lack of candidates in Bothell, giving time is a rare quality in its citizens this year.

Ewing’s vacated seat drew three candidates. The other three positions drew zero newcomers.

All the candidates know that running for an open seat is a lot easier than running against an incumbent. But they also saw running in a primary as a better alternative than running against an incumbent in November.

Incumbents have an inherent advantage in an election. They have a name recognition, fundraising and experience advantage. And while Bothell Planning Commissioner Steven Booth has some name recognition and Tris Samberg has run for office in the past, neither has a gigantic advantage in this race.

Many people don’t pay attention to city council races until their ballot arrives – and even then they may not pay attention. They might see a council member’s name in the paper or meet one at a school function for their kids. Many people don’t pay attention to local politics. But they should.

City council members pass more laws in one term that will affect local residents than the federal government will in a decade. They control local taxes, maintenance and zoning laws, among many other issues.

The fact that only one position on the Bothell City Council is contested should worry residents. This is not commentary on the job the current council members in Bothell are doing.

But even the best of elected officials have critics and it does show an apparent apathy. If those critics do not step forward to try to make a change or at least spark a discussion of alternative ideas, it does no good to live in a democracy.

The discussion on the future of Bothell during this election cycle will be dominated by just three people running for one seat – and that is only until August when it will be narrowed to just two candidates. A robust discussion about what government will and won’t do is at the heart of our democracy.

Kenmore is the complete opposite, as each of the three positions up for election has three candidates. Each position will have a primary, with the two top vote getters moving on to the general election in November.

This affords Kenmore residents an opportunity to discuss the city’s future in a more robust and public manner. Differing ideas will be put forward with citizens having the final say in the direction of taxes, zoning and maintenance, among other issues.

Working in community journalism for more than a decade I have learned that there are many issues people are passionate about. My answering machine and email are constantly full of messages from residents complaining about what is wrong with the city. But getting those issues changed takes more than just complaining. It takes getting involved. The filing period for the 2013 election has passed. But your opportunity to get involved with your city’s future has not. I encourage all Kenmore and Bothell residents to write a letter to the editor for the Reporter to publish in an upcoming issue. Email them to letters@bothell-reporter.com.

Let the candidates know what is important to you and what you want to see changed or maintained in your city. Be a part of the discussion.

Not all candidates for public office win election. In Kenmore, only 33 percent of the candidates will take office. But all residents win when there is a good political discussion and all ideas are vetted.

Matt Phelps is the Assistant Regional Editor for the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter and Kirkland Reporter.