The time has come for random drug testing of all Austin City Council and Mower County Board candidates.

The voters deserve to know who tested positive for baloney.

Everyone knows state legislators, congressmen, senators and Presidential candidates are full of it.

Have you caught Election Fever yet?

The State Primary Election is just a couple of weeks away.

There can only be write-in campaigns now for any late-comers. (Are you listening Kyle Klaehn?)

Let the debates soon begin, but first I’m handicapping the races.

Austin Mayor:

Tom Stiehm, Jimmy Hultgren, Mark Nagel.

Which one wears long hair?

Which one was a crime fighter?

Nagel wears long hair and Stiehm fought crime.

Oh boy, is Nagel a free-thinker. Ask him about his vibrant mass sometime?

Theory, that is.

Reporters would have a field day with his outspokenness.

Meanwhile, Austin Uncut is Austin Unkind to a certain “Stiehming Mass,” but who has better name recognition at this time than Hizzoner?

My prediction: The incumbent survives all tests.

Austin Council Member At Large:

Five people want to replace Pete Christopherson: Janet Anderson, Jeff Austin, George Brophy, Mary Keenan and Marvin Repinski.

Handicapping this field is tough.

Anderson is strong-willed and experienced in city government. Austin has City Council experience and name recognition. Duh.

George “Mr. DCA” Brophy took longer than critics wanted to retire from his highly-paid post. One wonders what kind of influence Garry Ellingson could have over Mary Keenan on the jail and justice center issue?

One also wonders how much talking the retired Methodist minister, Repinski would do?

My prediction: Anderson or Keenan.

Second Ward Austin City Council Member:

Scott Pacholl, the incumbent, and Steven King, challenger.

It’s the beginning of the end for the Pacholl Dynasty on the Austin City Council. Dad stays, but Son goes.

King rules.

Third Ward Austin City Council Member:

Norm Hechimovich, Austin’s Mr. All Everything bids farewell to city government, leaving two newcomers to vie for his council seat.

Both are good people.

Tony Bennett will duel Marian Clennon.

Bennett will attract confused music fans, while Clennon will lose pets’ votes.

Tony leaves his heart at Robert’s Specialty, and Clennon wins in a close race.

First Ward Council Member Brian McAlister, plus the Second Ward’s Dick Pacholl and the Third Ward’s John P. Martin can relax: Their terms don’t expire until 2010.

Meanwhile, there could be a shakeup on the Good Old Boys Club.

Richard P. Cummings is retiring from elective office politics after a century on the Mower County Board as the District No. 1 representative.

Actually, its only been a third of a century for the amiable — I hope — Mr. Cummings.

Mower County Commissioner District No. 1:

The one name missing here is Mr. Klaehn’s.

Nobody waged a more sincere and intelligent fight to stop agricultural homestead exemptions from being taken away than Mr. Double K Specialty. He belongs in this race.

Instead, three people—Tim Gabrielson, Kathy Stutzman and Dan Vermilyea—will compete.

Gazing into my crystal ball, I see Stutzman, capturing some of the city vote, but Gabrielson taking more. He’s waged the most serious campaign of them all.

Meanwhile, Vermilyea surprises all and slips into office Nov. 4.

Mower County Commissioner District No. 2:

Oh, oh …it appears the ghost of the legendary “Butch” Finbraaten is stirring things up in the 2nd District.

First, it was Herb Hanson and then Ray Tucker, who stole the 2nd District from the center of the universe — Adams, Marshall and Lodi townships. Mr. Finbraaten’s legion of fans and voters wanted him to be their Commissioner for Life.

Mr. Tucker has enjoyed it long enough they say, and it’s time to give it to one of our own: The Pitzens’ daughter, Sarah Douty.

My prediction: The estimable Mr. Tucker wins, but Douty gets her share of votes and scares the Finbraaten out of the Duke of Dexter.

That’s my two-cents worth. See you in September at the primary.

Remember: As Daryl Franklin says: Vote early and vote often!