The spectacle that surrounds municipal elections is about to ramp up with nomination packages for Prince George now available.
The election season launches, as always, with the coy strategy of waiting for precisely the right time to announce a candidacy, and in a way that would best benefit a campaign.
Whereas a few potentials have clearly expressed their intentions - Mayor Dan Rogers, councillors Murry Krause, Brian Skakun and realtor Dorothy Friesen distinctly said they would run, and former councillor Don Zurowski, Coun. Don Basserman and Marshall Smith said they wouldn't - the rest are playing their cards close to their chests.
There are many factors that go into the decision to campaign - who your competition turns out to be, whether the family can afford a scaled back income, whether the satisfaction of performing a civic duty is worth the heartache and headache of taking on a thankless task - so it's natural that some would still be undecided.
But other candidates are just waiting for the right time to spring it.
One reason for holding off is to get as many eyes on the accompanying newspaper articles as possible, so waiting until summer holidays are over is strategically wise.
Another reason for delay is to achieve the perfect campaign window - not too short, not too long.
To announce too early risks losing momentum - candidates need to stick closely to talking points, and repeating the same few points too often risks looking ignorant of broader issues.
But announcing too close to an election risks causing voters to ask "Who's that?" when your name appears on the ballot.
The coy thing can get old, however - witness Sarah Palin, who's made the "Will she or won't she?" question an art form in the American race for the Republican Party leadership.
Witness, too, the eye rolling of those who, unlike most Tea Partiers, are able to recognize manipulation when it jumps up and bites them on the butt.
Most media recoil from playing into the hands of political strategists by insisting on asking potentials about their intentions rather than sitting passively by and waiting for everyone to be good and ready.
Keeping candidates off-message is a key responsibility - it provides an opportunity for a glimpse into their true suitability.
Of course there's limited success to such prying, so for those who are eager to sniff out potential players, we suggest paying close attention to The Citizen's letters to the editor section - names appearing on these pages at this time in the election cycle often point to individuals who are testing the political waters.
Perusing local media for the city's most pressing issues will also give everyone good preparation for the grilling to come.
But no matter how politically astute, there are always a few surprises waiting in the wings. Let the games begin.
-- Prince George Citizen
