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040999a.html Page 2 of 3 challengers* the greater the advantage for the incumbent. Not surprisingly, it is an advantage Brown would like to see eliminated. '1 think a primary is a dam good idea,, Brown said_ "That way we winnow the field down and let the t-%%ro strong candidates go for it." For her part, Holstine said that as a candidate and current mayor it would be inappropriate to comment either for or against a primary and she plans to leave the issue up to the charter commission. According to sonic of the longer -temi members, this will not be the first time the chatter commission has looked into the issue of primary elections. However, the previous discussion was so long age no one can quite remember what was said. ,You are going way back," Heidi Schmidt said. "way, way back. It was discussed, but what was discussed, 1 don't remember." Schmidt is not alone_ Neither charter commission member Terry Anderson nor city attorney Elizabeth B loomqu ist could remember exactly what the commission's reasoning was in choosing not to require primaries, though Bloom€luist thought it was most likely because of the cost factor. However, with several brand new board members on the commission, it may be an entirely new debate. Of the 15 commission members, at least eight were appointed after the board's initial discussion on the primary election issue. If the commission decides to pursue a primary provision, they w i l 1 have to work fast- The charter amendment would have to receive council approval at least three months before the general election. In addition, the current filing period, which is scheduled for the last part of August, would have to be pushed up to accommodate the possibility of a primary. And if the council denied a commission recommendation for a primary? By charter the city would have to put the issue on the ballot and let the voters decide_ Though city officials say multiple candidate clections are uncommon locally, as recently as four years ago the city had two such races. In 19953 voters were faced with three n:t�l'Mrtr, r+ry� -.�;. -.,fit rtin,� } ..i.,t� - Jll A!"1n(AiL ,�a t .� _ _ » . T oil ,� � � I, I I M b z" "INN m M 7 o Irv, U) �I -gi ?r Viv fuu o d� ^'u ' ih�uua�, w� v,�� n w o ,viii m3 i'� (r ,,, ^ ,? �, U!' ' IN I id ��