Also on Tuesday’s City Commission agenda is a charter ordinance that should draw easy approval.

The ordinance would exempt Lawrence from a state statute that vastly reduces primary elections in city commission and council elections. In Lawrence, 10 candidates had to file for the three City Commission seats to trigger a primary.

The charter ordinance would return Lawrence to its previous system, which requires a primary when seven or more candidates file for three open seats on the commission.

The state statute was a cost-cutting measure for smaller Kansas communities, but for Lawrence, it cut out an important step in the local election process. Primary elections help voters start getting acquainted with candidates and issues in the city commission race. Trimming a large field of candidates to six gives voters a better opportunity to evaluate candidates and make informed choices in the general election.

At least four city commissioners must vote in favor of the ordinance for it to pass. This measure is a significant benefit for local voters and deserves the commission’s unanimous support .