Feeding the voter habit. Washingtonians voted for governor only once last fall, but it seemed like more, probably because the results were counted three times. Some people thought a new election was in order.

Thanks to court rulings, the state primary election system has changed two years in a row, and it could change again, depending on an initiative likely to be on the ballot this fall.

In Spokane, we’re waiting to find out if we will vote to recall the mayor.

Could we get any more obsessive about our elections? We could. Spokane County Auditor Vickie Dalton has proposed an all-mail election system, but county commissioners decided to put it to a vote. Dalton says county citizens already have shown their preference, because more of them vote by mail than at the polls. Who needs a vote?

Judging by their independence, Spokane County voters do – the way some people need a morning latte.

An eye out for potatoes. As Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne begins the process to design Idaho’s state quarter, for a 2007 release by the U.S. Mint, a thought comes to mind: No potatoes.

For too long, North Idaho was stuck driving cars with nondescript green-and-white license plates that advertised southern Idaho’s “Famous Potatoes,” to the delight of the Idaho Potato Commission. That should have been considered grounds for secession. After all, few southern Idaho potatoes make their way north.

Idaho has beautiful mountains, lakes, rivers, high desert and wilderness areas. The Corps of Discovery stomped across its midsection. Any of those images would be preferable on a quarter to represent the state than a starchy, brown-skinned tuber that would reinforce Idaho’s image as a hick state.