In this column, Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for community opinions, addresses two very timely issues of interest to readers.

1. Candidate questionnaires

How do you know which candidate is best in a local election? That's a common question I hear from readers, especially when the editorial board is making a recommendation in the race.

It's no secret what issues we think are important to a race. For years, we've put our issues on the table, published them on the Editorial pages for everyone to see. Since 2003, we've also carefully crafted questionnaires around issues we think are top tier and invited candidates to complete them online during their campaigns. Readers can see via editorials and those questionnaires exactly what's on our mind, what we think should be the key issues in a race.

Just last month, as the window closed for candidates to file for May election for school boards and city councils across North Texas, we mailed and e-mailed invitations to about 150 candidates in contested races in 20 suburban cities and 13 school districts. We gave candidates about two weeks to complete the questionnaires directly online and asked them to submit them to us by Monday of this week (March 31). We expect to post all responses online at DallasNews.com/opinion for the public to view later this week. Nearly 90 percent of the candidates accepted our invitation – our best return rate since the Editorial Board launched online questionnaires five years ago.

By reviewing the candidates' questionnaire answers, visitors will be able to see how candidates compare on important issues. The candidates explain what motivated them to run for office and what, exactly, they would do if elected. We asked candidates for city council about tax rates and services and whether taxpayers were getting their money's worth. We also asked them to tell us ways they would work with other cities in North Texas on regional issues, like improving air quality and expanding regional rail. And, of course, we asked what role they thought cities should play in the immigration issue.

In school board races, we wanted to know what candidates thought about merit pay and standardized testing. We wanted to know how they would close the gaps between the best schools and those that are struggling.

Best of all, these questionnaires get the candidates on the record. For example, during an interview in the recent primary, we had this exchange with a candidate:

"Why did you say your opponent had voted against a tax cut? He never has?"

"I never said."

"Yes, you did. In your questionnaire."

"No, I think you're mistaken."

"Right here. I'll read it out loud for you …"

But the more common value of these questionnaires is in the side-by-side comparisons you can make.

Recently, we asked candidates about what they thought would help clean the air in North Texas. Two candidates in this particular race offered ideas about expanding mass transit, expanding roads and other less obvious solutions, but the third candidate went on and on about Al Gore, global warming and media conspiracies. In dodging our question, he revealed that he didn't understand the local issue very well.

He finished third, by the way.

2. New Voices

How do I become one of those volunteer columnists? Throughout the year, I am asked about our rotating group of volunteer columnists who are the stars of our Community Opinions pages inside the Metro section.

Maybe a column by a student about why libraries don't appeal to kids made someone mad. Or maybe a column by a teacher about mentors made someone want to get involved. Whatever it was, when people see other folks just like them writing full-length columns in their newspaper, they realize, hey, they want to do that, too. And they can.

Every April, we look for new Teacher Voices and Student Voices. Every fall, we look for our Community Voices. There's no "typical" Voice. That's the whole point. We want people from all backgrounds with all kinds of perspectives.

Anyone who can give readers a glimpse into their classroom, into their campus life, is someone who will potentially be a great Voices columnist. We hope to find writers who are not shy about sharing an unexpected point of view and who will be effective in persuading others. Here's what students and teachers have to do to apply:

For students (in one e-mail):

1. Write a little about yourself, including your hobbies and activities. How would others describe you? Why should we choose you to be part of this diverse panel?

2. Share samples of your writing or write something on a current topic that could be published. Letters to the editor should be about 200 words, and full-length commentary should be about 650 words.

3. Jot down three topics you would like to write about.

4. Attach a letter of recommendation from a teacher or an adult supervisor in one of your extracurricular activities. No, the teacher does not need to be a journalism adviser. Please include your reference's full daytime contact information.

5. E-mail the application to voices@dallasnews.com. Include your address and phone number.

For teachers (in one e-mail):

1. Write a little about yourself: How long have you been a teacher? Where do you teach? What subjects do you teach? Why should we choose you to be part of this diverse panel?

2. Tell us (in a few paragraphs): Why do you teach?

3. Jot down three topics you would like to write about.

4. E-mail the application to voices@dallasnews.com. Include your address and phone number.

Deadline: Noon, April 30