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40999a.html Page 2of3 challengers, the greater the advantage for the incumbent. Not surprisingly, it is an advantage Brown world like to see eliminated. "I think a primary is a darn good idea," Brown said. "That way we winnow the field down and let the two 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 some of the longer -terra members, this will net be the first time the charter commission has looked into the issue of pri nary elections. However, the previous discussion was so long ago no one can quite remember what was said. "You are going way back," Heidi Schmidt said. "way, way hack. It was discussed, but what was discussed I don't remember." Schmidt is not alone. Neither charter commission member Terry Anderson nor city attorney Elizabeth Bloomquist could remember exactly what the commission's reasoning was in choosing not to require primaries, though B loomq uist thought it was most likely because of the cost factor. However, with several brand new hoard 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 pr-imary election issue, If the conunissio n decides to pursue a primary provision, they will 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 elections are unconunon locally, as recently as four years ago the city had two such races. In 1995, voters were faced with three litto: / /fairmontsentinel, coon /news /stories /040999a.htrn1 1) { -1111 nfl-]