Doorbells don’t ring as much as they once did. Door-to-door salesmen seem like relics from an era when women were home during the day to listen to their pitches. And neighbors and friends don’t drop by as much in this e-mail and cell phone age.

In the next two months, however, expect your doorbells to ring more often. It’s election season, and in the Inland Northwest, doorbelling is still a popular campaign strategy.

Also, as summer wanes and fall crisps up, the candidates will hit every public event they can. Unity in the Community, held Saturday at Spokane’s Liberty Park, is a traditional attraction for candidates. At Pig out in the Park, Spokane’s Labor Day weekend food and music fest, candidates will be as plentiful as hot dogs and ice cream cones. On Labor Day, they’ll mingle with picnickers at the Spokane Symphony’s annual Comstock Park concert.

In North Idaho, candidates hang out at the region’s ubiquitous town and county fairs. For instance, look for them at the North Idaho Fair at Kootenai County Fairgrounds from Wednesday to Sunday.

These face-to-face encounters can be annoying, especially if you’ve just sat down to lunch and your doorbell rings. Or you are at the fair and more interested in eating elephant ears than looking over campaign material.

But set the annoyances aside and take some time with the candidates. These person-to-person encounters allow an important opportunity to ask questions about issues you really care about. They allow citizens to see how well the candidates represent their interests.

Public cynicism about the democratic process is fueled by sound-bite campaigns where candidates give their pitch in brief words and images. You learn very little about where they stand on the issues in ads that feature pretty backdrops and beaming family members.

Most candidates for local office can’t afford expensive TV ads. They rely on getting their messages across in person. And this is good news for voters.

Pick one issue you really care about, one that affects you in your home or neighborhood or community. And then quiz the candidate about solutions.

Maybe you’re worried about the huge houses filling up the hillside behind you, or maybe you have been frustrated trying to rezone your property to build one of those developments. These are issues for local county commissioner candidates.

Perhaps your car has been vandalized one time too many or your neighbor’s home looks like a center for illegal drug activity. These are issues law enforcement candidates can address. Or maybe you wonder what state legislators can do about rising tuition costs. Ask them.

In these brief exchanges, you can gauge how informed the candidates are, how well they listen, how well they respond. These exchanges become sound bites with substance. It’s democracy at its most basic and best. So take advantage of these unique civic opportunities – coming soon to a community event near you.