Election time is here in full force.

A busy season of decisions faces voters across the Flathead Valley.

School elections on May 4 — with three districts seeking approval of levy requests and many school trustee races to be decided — represent the first salvo of balloting.

Then the following week the primary election process begins.

Absentee voting begins May 10 for the June 8 primary election. Because of the ever-increasing interest in early voting, that means the election in effect is a month-long process.

That’s why on Monday the Inter Lake begins its primary coverage. In the last general election, 44 percent of voters chose the early voting option. Absentee voting’s popularity is on a trend toward the point where more than half of voters will have cast their ballots well before the actual election day.

This year’s primary election features several important races.

For Flathead County sheriff, for instance, the only three candidates running are Republicans, which means the primary victor will be unopposed in November’s general election.

For Flathead County commissioner, five candidates in two parties are seeking nominations.

In addition, there are 10 candidates for three judicial positions, a contested county clerk and recorder race, and several contested legislative seats.

Those are good reasons for all of us to be informed voters.

WE WERE PLEASED to see that Janet Cahill is being honored for her longtime work with the Violence Free Crisis Line.

The Kalispell Soroptimists selected Cahill as the winner of the 2010 Ruby Award “for women helping women.”

Certainly Cahill has done that. For the past 22 years, she has been executive director of the crisis line, a 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence, rape, child abuse and other crimes. She has many accomplishments during that time, and has served the community elsewhere as well.

Those who wish to join in paying tribute to Cahill should call Diane Yarus at 751-2175 or e-mail sikalispell@soroptimist.net right away. The reservation deadline is today. Tickets are $26 each for the event, which will be held Wednesday at Jagz Restaurant starting at 6 p.m.

WHITEFISH FOLKS will be able to set their watches to the 10 o’clock nighttime siren once again come the end of May.

As soon as the Fire Department moves into its new digs at the Emergency Services Center, the city plans to restore the curfew siren that has been a part of Whitefish history since 1919. Though the piercing sound no doubt has awakened a few babies and spurred barking dogs in its day — and perhaps startled a few unsuspecting tourists — it’s still a time-honored piece of Whitefish history that deserves to be preserved.