Voters in the 5th District will select a new Mower County commissioner during the Feb. 10 special election.

The seat has been vacant since Commissioner David Tollefson died Dec. 3, and a field of seven candidates was whittled to two in the Jan. 20 primary.

While the district covers Austin, the commissioner will make decisions on issues that could affect everyone countywide.

With that said, every district needs a candidate who knows the issues, is active in the community, who shows common sense and who will carefully weigh decisions based on both the needs of the residents and the people in other parts of the county.

During each election, we sit down with the candidates, drill them on the issues, get to know them and ultimately endorse the one who stands above the rest.

We can’t do that in this race, however, because there isn’t one impressive candidate, there are two.

Both Mike Ankeny and Ron Felten are worthy of your vote and have the potential of being solid additions to the Mower County Board of Commissioners.

We spent time with each candidate and were impressed by their reasonable, common sense approach to government, their involvement in the community and their willingness to improve the seemingly rocky relationship between the county and the city.

Both Ankeny and Felten were born and raised in Austin, both are local graduates and both said they would run for re-election in November if they win Feb. 10.

Ankeny owns Ankeny’s Mini Mart No. 5, Ankeny’s Dairy Foods and Budget Oil Company, and he’s been an area business man of more than 30 years.

Felten is on the Austin Utility Board, served on the Austin Fire Department for about 16 years, including time as the city fire marshal, and sells real estate for Fawver Agency Real Estate.

These are your candidates for the 5th District special election, and either one is a good choice.