Next week, we’ll all have several chances to get to know the three candidates running for 5th District county supervisor a little bit better.

The Press-Banner and the Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley chambers of commerce are hosting candidate forums at 7 p.m. Monday, April 30, at the Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Road, and 7 p.m. Thursday, May 3, at SLV High School’s multipurpose room that will help introduce supervisor candidates as they work for our votes.

The three candidates will be asked a series of questions generated from submissions to the Press-Banner website over the past several weeks. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer each question that is asked.

The questions have been selected by a panel of local community members and will cover a broad array of topics to test the candidates’ knowledge of the district and to flesh out their views on the issues that we all find important.

I can safely say that the three men running for office, Bill Smallman, Eric Hammer and Bruce McPherson, are very different. These two forums will certainly clarify the differences and help you know who you are voting for.

One other thing: The stakes are high. If one of the candidates receives 50 percent of the vote, plus one single vote, he wins the election. Your vote actually does count.

Absentee voting starts in early May, so this is the best chance to learn about the candidates before casting your vote.

See you next week.

 Press-Banner Editor Peter Burke can be reached by email at peter@pressbanner.com or by phone at 438-2500.