Attention deficit

Friday, May 29, 2009 | 3 a.m.

Municipal elections, held in odd-numbered years in the Las Vegas Valley, historically have produced much lower voter turnouts than the larger general elections in November of even-numbered years. The general elections are more heavily advertised and publicized because they involve candidates for federal, state and county positions.

But it is a big mistake to take municipal elections too lightly, and the races being decided Tuesday in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson are no exception. Henderson and North Las Vegas are both choosing new mayors and all three cities have contested council races. North Las Vegas also has a race for municipal judge.

Municipal elections are important because they involve candidates who can have the most direct effect on residents who live in those cities. Likewise, those candidates can have the most immediate effect on businesses in their communities.

The winning candidates for mayor and council seats will have a say in water and transportation issues. They will have a hand in requests for zoning variances, building permits and other land use issues. They also will wield influence over regulatory affairs.

The judge in North Las Vegas will have jurisdiction over traffic violations and misdemeanor offenses.

It is too bad that the Nevada Legislature this session allowed a bill to die that would have required municipal contests to be held at the same time as general elections. Assembly Bill 256 held promise that city races would attract much higher voter turnout than they do now. Hopefully, lawmakers will rectify that situation by reviving and passing the legislation in 2011.

Although early voting so far has been light, we encourage people to get to the polls Tuesday. City issues are too important to ignore.