VIDALIA — With the municipal elections rapidly approaching, local folks are seeing more and more yard signs being erected, and candidates are beginning to canvas neighborhoods in earnest.

Cross Street resident Jessie Dunaway said he sees a higher amount of voter interest in this election cycle than in recent years.

“I think people are more concerned about what is going on,” he said.

South Hickory Street resident Eva Banks said she sees evidence of interest in her neighborhood, and she has met a representative from campaigns for mayor, police chief and alderman, but that the interest is limited.

“There’s not a lot more (interest than in previous races), but there is some,” she said.

Both Dunaway and Banks said that, though they have met candidates, they are undecided as to who they will vote for at this time.

Dunaway said his choice for police chief would be decided by who had the best platform for addressing crime.

“For mayor, something that would be important to me would be the economy and keeping the city going,” he said.

Ash Street resident Mary Cox said only one candidate has left her a card, but she has already made up her mind as for how she will vote for mayor.

Her decisions on how to vote will also be determined by who she thinks will do something about what she believes is a speeding and traffic problem in the town, Cox said.

“I’m not going to vote for somebody who isn’t going to stop speeding,” she said. “It’s gotten to where you can’t hardly pull out without worrying about getting hit.”

Cedar Street resident Christine Turner said she, too, has already made her decision, and that decision was not made because of push cards or personal meetings, but by word-of-mouth concerning candidates’ character.

“I know several people who helped me make up my mind because they know the candidate better than I do,” she said.

Turner said what she wants to see honest people in office, and a reputation for honesty was what helped solidify her decision.

“I just decided that people that promise things and don’t keep their promises don’t need to be in office,” she said.