We'll call this "the election issue."

And that is right around the corner - next Tuesday, as a matter of fact.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Toronto issues and candidates is in this issue of the Toronto Scene.

Well, not exactly.

These stories are more of a public service to voters who don't have a lot of time to study the issues. They are meant as snapshots of each candidate and the issues important to them. They aren't meant as resumes or biographies. They are simple, quick and down-to-earth summations of what is important to each candidate.

Perhaps you feel that isn't all that important to you, that you would rather just vote for the person you know best or has a certain political party affiliated with his or her name. That is undoubtedly your right to do so. And, if a candidate has knocked on your door and spent some time telling you the reasons he or she is running, that is a powerful persuader that they might be the person to represent you.

Well, maybe they are, or maybe they aren't. The truth is you can't really tell how people in office will govern until they are actually there.

Some of the candidates are incumbents. That means they already have a track record to run on. This is also a great indicator of how someone is likely to govern in the future. If you feel they are currently doing their job, that's a good indicator they will continue to do so if re-elected. If you feel they aren't governing well but are making a lot of promises - well, that call is up to you.

A challenger who has an impressive record of accomplishment outside of government service should also be an indicator as someone who might be a good representative. My experience has been that those who are go-getters in the work world are usually pretty good at governing. They aren't afraid to take the reins, and more importantly, have the will, desire and energy to learn how to govern.

Believe me, no one who is freshly elected is going to know the intricate insides and out of government right away. But they can prove their worth by studying, forming opinions and - most important of all - listening to the best ways the city should be governed.

There always are "the lazy bones" of every governing body. These are the ones who have been elected forever because of a certain name cache or because they are great at slapping backs and kissing babies. Once in office they sit on their laurels and do a lot of nothing, until the next election, that is. Then they get good at backslapping, printing yard signs and have a newfound sense of "doing something."

Voters should use their common sense when it comes to this. A person running for office who uses the word "I" or "me" more than "we" or "you" should be a good indicator of how that person will act once in office.

I love Toronto dearly, but I do have one criticism of city voters. Toronto is an unusually politically apathetic city. It's not that Torontonians don't vote - they vote as much or more than other neighboring municipalities - but once the vote is over they forget to be engaged in their governance. It is rare for a citizen to come to City Council meetings just to see the proceedings and learn how their tax dollars are being used and what their representative is doing. Frequently I'm the only person in the audience. That's a shame, because attending council meetings is by far the best way to tell who is worthy and who is not.

I have a certain amount of empathy with elected officials, because they are, rightly or wrongly, targets. I've seen good people, even worthy incumbents, beaten by people who don't deserve to be elected dog catcher, let alone a representative. But that is the price we pay for being a democracy.

I'll never tell you how to vote, but I will encourage you to vote. As we've seen in many recent elections, one vote is sometimes all it takes to make the difference.

(Miller is editor of Toronto Scene and a Toronto resident.)