Laurel City Council members made the right choice in naming a replacement for retiring Ward I member Gayle Snyder.

It wasn't an easy decision, as all six applicants had something to offer, from public service experience to business backgrounds to proven political activism. But Valerie Nicholas, who overcame her own past of domestic violence and went on to create an organization to help others overcome abuse, had a slight edge over the other applicants.

While all of the applicants identified similar issues they would tackle as council members, such as pushing for the long overdue Laurel Mall facelift, Nicholas showed an undeniable eagerness to serve.

Nicholas was also a good candidate because she represents the diversity of Laurel's residents. The recent census revealed statistically what anyone who lives here knows: Laurel has lost its identity as a predominately white, working class community and is now home to those living on a wider economic scale, and representing a variety of races and cultures. Adding a black woman to a majority-white City Council helps balance the scales and allows the council to better reflect the community it is governing.

Another bit of good news from the selection process is that the field of applicants was crowded. When the norm is for candidates to run unopposed, the fact that six residents of Ward I put their names in for Snyder's seat is good news.

In November, Laurel voters will head to the polls to elect a mayor, two council members from each ward and one at-large council member.

If the interest in Laurel politics holds on for another four months, voters can expect that November's elections will bring contested races, as more residents test the waters of politics. And that's a good thing for Laurel.