This is shaping up to be a watershed election. For City Council, Richmond voters have a choice on November 8 of nine candidates, including three incumbents (Nat Bates, Jael Myrick and Vinay Pimple), two former City Council members (Jim Rogers and Corky Booze), and four other challengers.

The only slate that has emerged consists of Ben Choi and Melvin Willis who will run under the Richmond Progressive Alliance banner and try for a takeover of the City Council by joining Gayle McLaughlin, Eduardo Martinez and Jovanka Beckles, ultimately controlling the majority of four or more votes. They will also team up on the campaign for rent control.

The other two challengers (Cesar Zepeda and Uche Uwahemu) are first-time candidates for City Council, although Uwahemu ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2014.

For the first time in recent memory, there are no women in this race.

Gentlemen, start your engines!