As early voting for the Nov. 7 general election begins tomorrow, Sept. 23. the News-Press announces with this editorial its heartfelt endorsements for the three (out of seven) Falls Church City Council seats being contested. With this announcement, we endorse Letty Hardi, Tim Stevens and Justine Underhill.

Hardi has served with remarkable distinction two terms so far on the City Council, and if reelected would be a favorite among her colleagues to win their votes to become the next mayor, as current Mayor David Tarter is not seeking re-election this fall.

Stevens is the current chair of the City’s important Planning Commission and has a long history of salient advocacy on behalf of solid environmental policies for the City as a leading member of its Environmental Sustainability Council.

Underhill is a key mover for the new non-partisan Falls Church Forward civic advocacy group and has played an important role in its founding and organization in the past year.

The three are among four, overall, contesting the three open seats on the Council, Erin Flynn being the fourth. In addition to Tarter’s decision not to seek a record-shattering fourth four year term on the Council, and potentially fifth two-year term as mayor, veteran Councilman Phil Duncan is also not seeking re-election this fall due to the major, life-saving lung transplant surgery he underwent earlier this year.

While his progress toward full recovery has been remarkable to date, including resuming his in-person attendance not only at Council meetings but also a plethora of community events around town, he, his wife and doctors have determined the demands are too much to run for re-election to the Council, at least this time.

So, beginning tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 23, voters can begin to cast early ballots without having to use an excuse of travel or some other reason for doing it. They can simply show up where the voting is happening (the Voter Registrar’s office at City Hall in Falls Church) and vote right then and there.

Falls Church Voter Registrar David Bjerke told the News-Press this week that his office has mailed out over 400 ballots that were requested by voters in advance of tomorrow’s voting onset.

In addition to the City Council race, contested races on the F.C. ballots are for State Senator, Democrat Saddam Salim vs. Republican Ken Reid, and for Delegate, incumbent Democrat Marcus Simon versus independent David Crance.

The race for three seats on the F.C. School Board is uncontested, as incumbent Jerrod Anderson is on the ballot with Bethany Henderson and Amie Murphy.

The City is enjoying outstanding leadership. Strong pressures for continued economic development have been met with steady and thoughtful responses. The recent years’ navigation of the simultaneous construction of a world-class new high school campus and powerful economic development at the 10-acre West Falls Church site, in conjunction with adjacent Virginia Tech and Metro properties to revitalize the West Falls Church Metro, has lowered the tax rate and been first class.