It’s difficult this late-arriving spring not to imagine Punxsutawney Phil striving to make good, waving the red, white and blue on a day like this — the point being that the democratic process, like spring, is just around our corner.

The May 21 primary and special election is deceptively close, so much so that this can’t be overemphasized: brace yourself for a whirlwind campaign and don’t lose sight of what’s at stake.

This past week, Butler County’s Democratic and Republican Party leaders chose nominees for the vacated seat of the 11th Legislative District seat, for a term that does not expire again until December 2020.

The Democrats chose Sam Doctor. The Republicans chose Marci Mustello. Profiles on both candidates will be featured in an upcoming edition of the Butler Eagle. Please study them carefully.

For the sake of clarity, the 11th District encompasses the City of Butler and the townships of Butler, Clearfield, Connoquenessing, Donegal, Fairview, Jefferson, Oakland and Summit, plus the boroughs within their bounds: East Butler, Chicora, Connoquenessing, Fairview, Karns City, Petrolia, Prospect and Saxonburg.

Meanwhile, in a state Senate race affecting the eastern half of Butler County, two Indiana County residents will compete in a special election for the 41st state senatorial seat vacated by Sen. Don White.

Democrat Susan Boser, a public policy professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, is challenging Joe Pittman, White’s chief of staff since White took office in 2001. The 41st District sprawls across Butler, Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.

As with the Mustello-Doctor race for the 11th District, the 41st Senate race is just seven weeks from now, and the winner takes office right away. Both are special elections, not a primary for the November ballot.

This means the parties and their candidates have just seven weeks to introduce the electorate to candidates Mustello and Doctor, and Boser and Pittman, and give us an impression of what their vision is for their constituents and their agenda for Harrisburg. It’s a tall order as Gov. Bob Casey and the Republican-controlled legislature consider a $34.1 billion budget proposal for 2019-20 and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman continues his listening tour, taking the public’s temperature on acceptance of recreational marijuana.

While we’re on the subject of campaigning, bear in mind that Sunday, May 5, will be the final day for publication of any letters to the editor pertaining to this election, the primary or any related political letters on the editorial page. The Eagle has always observed a two-week “quiet period” that begins two Mondays prior to the election Tuesday. Reminders will be posted regularly on the editorial page in coming days about this deadline, which is a mere five weeks from now.

Lastly, the Eagle is looking forward to co-hosting a campaign event in early May to let voters hear debates for these two special elections and meet the judicial candidates for the Court of Common Pleas. The Butler County Chamber of Commerce is the other co-sponsor of the candidadtes event, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. on May 2 at Succop Theater at Butler County Community College. The public is invited. Admission is free. Take advantage of the opportunity.