WE AT the Stranger Election Death Squad try to make our political endorsements exciting.

We meet with candidates, and spend hours debating each race before we sit down to write our endorsements. And we do all of this in an effort to get you, our readers, excited enough about the candidates that you'll put down the bong for 15 minutes and go vote. And while the Stranger Election Death Squad's efforts have lured enough Stranger readers to the polls to elect Stranger-approved city council members like kick-ass Judy Nicastro (by 1,551 votes) and pass groovy initiatives like the recent Stranger-backed monorail initiative, this year's election is so important that we've decided to go the extra mile to generate interest and excitement.

First, consider this! Seattle voters have a chance to send two excellent progressives-- Grant Cogswell and Michael Preston--to the city council this year: candidates who might actually stop the city from passing constitutionally questionable shit like the poster ban and the impound ordinance; candidates who could actually stand up to the police guild to pass real cop accountability ordinances; candidates who will fight to preserve low-income housing in Seattle; and candidates who will think straight on transportation.

Still not excited about voting?

Well, consider this! Seattle voters will elect a new mayor this year. (We had some good times, Paul, but it's over.) If you don't want to spend the next four years under the thumb of Mayor Sidran, it's imperative that you go to the polls next week.

Still bored?

Okay. As a shameless gimmick to guarantee that you truly pay attention to our Stranger Death Squad nods, the Stranger Election Death Squad proudly presents our First Annual All-Nude, All-Hotties Primary Election Endorsement Issue. That's right: All the candidates who wanted the Stranger Election Death Squad nod (and the votes of Stranger readers) had to pose COMPLETELY NUDE for our in-house portrait artist.

So do your civic duty (and our bidding) and vote in next week's primary (September 18), and in this November's general election, too. It's the least you can do for these candidates, who were brave enough to pose COMPLETELY NUDE to win your vote.

The Stranger Death Squad is: Josh Feit, Amy Jenniges, Pat Kearney, Tim Keck, Min Liao, and Dan Savage.