An editorial last week about Tuesday’s primary discussed the 10 Republican candidates for Butler County commissioner and how the crowded ballot makes each vote crucial to the outcome. In a county of nearly 180,000 people, as few as 4,000 registered voters could decide the Republicans’ two commissioner nominees for the fall ballot.

The Democratic Party’s ballot tells another story. It has just four candidates, including an incumbent commissioner not endorsed by the party’s leaders.

In a letter to the editor on April 23, Democratic Committee Chairwoman Georgiann Kerr explained she did not consider another of the candidates, David Johnston, a true Democrat because he joined the party in December anticipating an easier primary campaign in a less crowded field. Kerr instead urged Democrats to vote for the two party-endorsed candidates, Jerry Johnston, no relation to David Johnston, and Kevin Boozel.

From Kerr’s own logic it must be inferred that the party does not consider its incumbent commissioner candidate, Jim Eckstein, much of a Democrat, either.

Eckstein has no reservations portraying himself as a renegade. His recent advertisements boast that he does not have the endorsement of any party, any labor union or any official.

One irony in Kerr’s letter is that she was writing in favor of open primaries — and her party’s ballot is about as wide-open as a four-candidate ballot can get even though the endorsements are not. It will be a different Democratic slate in November if the endorsed candidates do not pick up the nominations.

As always, turnout could be the key. Will the party faithful support the endorsed candidates Jerry Johnston and Kevin Boozel? Or, will those who signed Democratic petitions for David Johnston and Eckstein persuade enough friends to help propel their candidates to victory?

It will be a very dramatic race for Butler County’s Democrats, at least as dramatic as that of the crowded, 10-candidate Republican field.

And the outcome of both races is far too important for voters of either party not to exercise their franchise.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. It’s our duty to make every effort to get there.