Durham voters didn't get it right two years ago, and the full bill for that error has yet to come due.

The Duke lacrosse case-related lawsuits -- against disbarred former D.A. Mike Nifong, Duke University, the city, the police and so on -- are grinding their way through the legal system.

Some of the suits are frivolous, filed by opportunists just trying to jump on the gravy train. But others aren't likely to go away. As they say at the White House, mistakes were made. And that means there'll be a Nifong surcharge on Durham property tax bills in the years ahead.

So now it's time to choose a new district attorney. In an ideal world, the choice would be made by voters after weeks of discussions, forums and debates in which the candidates and issues received extensive scrutiny from an engaged citizenry.

Sorry, that's not happening this year.

The Obama-Clinton slugfest may not be pretty, but it has lasted long enough that North Carolinians will have a vote that matters. That's a welcome change -- but it also means every other candidate on the May 6 ballot from governor on down is struggling, mostly in vain, to be heard above the presidential din.

We're here to help. We'll be providing all the coverage we can muster on the district attorney campaign and other local races in The Durham News, in The N&O and online in the coming days. Our voters guide is online at http://know.triangle.com/factfinder/election2008