All four Anacortes City Council members up for re-election this year will run unopposed. Getting a free ride as well are both Anacortes School Board incumbents, both incumbent hospital commissioners and all three incumbent Fidalgo Park and Recreation District commissioners.

The good news is those folks represent a ton of talent and experience, and they’ve helped guide institutions that are well-run and meeting their missions. Nice to have them continue working for us.

On the other hand, we wonder just how complacent the community has become and regret the missed opportunities.  Well-contested elections provide a forum for candidates to both examine the current state of affairs and debate the future.

Hopefully the lack of candidates signals for the most part tacit approval for the job our officials are doing rather than a disengaged, disinterested citizenry.

Things are much brighter on two important fronts.

Mayor Dean Maxwell is being challenged by Steve Sonnenberg, a semi-retired lawyer who readily admits things are good here, but how we manage change will be key to our future. There’s a subject that deserves robust public debate.

At the Port of Anacortes, all three incumbent commissioners will face serious challengers. That’s more like it. The port has made real strides in recent years, but can it be better yet?

Creeping into the election discussion already is the Anacortes Futures Project.

This report, released recently by the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, details the economic foundation of Anacortes in terms of land use, jobs, incomes and tax revenues. And it calls for a task force that will create a master plan that can help guide city planning.

The Futures Project is another positive development for the coming election.

Candidates can come to the table well-versed in real data about how our community works. And they’ll have an easier time developing ideas about the strategic direction the city and port should take in the future.