City elections

It’s the time of year that makes recent arrivals to this valley scratch their heads.

Campaign ads in March? An election in April?

Springtime races are increasingly an only-in-Vegas phenomenon. Low turnout is the norm for municipal elections, with voters still washing off the mud from November’s nasty campaigns and a scarcity of races on most ballots.

We wish the Legislature would finally move Clark County’s municipal elections to even-numbered years, onto statewide ballots, as Northern Nevada has, so more voters would decide who leads local governments and cities could save a few hundred thousand bucks each cycle.

But if that day never comes, taxpayers shouldn’t use inconvenience or apathy as an excuse for not answering their charge to elect the people who conduct their business.

Early voting is under way for the April 5 municipal primaries. A number of the races are crowded, especially the 18-candidate contest to replace term-limited Oscar Goodman as Las Vegas mayor. But if you’re counting on others to narrow the field now so you can make a simpler choice in June’s runoff, think again. Even in races with more than two choices, a candidate can win election outright with a majority of votes.

One contest that won’t have a runoff is Las Vegas Municipal Court, Department 5, which features just two candidates: incumbent Cedric Kerns and challenger Bruce Gale. Municipal Court judges deal with traffic citations and misdemeanor crimes such as drunken driving and domestic violence.

Judge Kerns has been on the bench since 1997, consistently ranking among the best municipal judges in the Review-Journal’s biennial judicial performance survey. He has demonstrated a commitment to reducing recidivism through the creation of repeat offender and youth offender courts. Judge Kerns has raised private money to cover the costs of these interventions, saving taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Gale, a 23-year attorney, is a perennial candidate for judge who offers no compelling reason to oust Judge Kerns.

The Review-Journal endorses the effective Cedric Kerns for another six-year term on the Municipal Court bench.

If you live in a municipality, please take the time to cast an informed vote in the primary. The direction of your government depends on your carefully considered decision.