Five Reasons to Pay Attention to Election 2011

Town supervisor, council members and trustees. And lest we not forget about town justice and tax receiver.

These positions in local government will be up for grabs on Nov. 8, and here are some reasons why we think you might be interested in paying attention. Be sure to click here to find all aspects of Election 2011 covered in-depth.

1. We are profiling everyone running for office. Individual stories matter. Each person running has their own unique qualifications and motivations. We're compiling a record of these stories and hope you keep coming back as you make your decision.

The Republicans are holding steady by focusing on , but the Democrats are addressing issues from quality ofto and to save the town money.

3. These candidates are your neighbors. Incumbent town justice candidate has lived in Southold for 25 years and has practiced law here for 13. has worked his whole life as a lobsterman on the local waterfront. has lived in Mattituck for over a decade after a lifetime spent in New York City and points west, and she is a familiar face at any civic meeting you can think of.

4. We are in a recession. Some say full-on depression. How do you want to spend your money (or lack thereof?)

, following an ,following some of the biggest in recent memory, Mother Nature also seems to be kicking in more than she usually does. And considering our position on a we should probably be thinking of how to protect ourselves in the event of a perfect storm. And paying attention to Election 2011 just might help.