Even though no one stepped forward in time to challenge the Town Council incumbents, Windsor is not going to cancel its election. The cost: an estimated $26,500. The value of placing democracy before economics: priceless.

The field is now set for the November election. Candidates in six cities had until 5 p.m. Wednesday to decide whether or not to run for City Council. Find out who jumped in at the last minute – and who dropped out.

Should Windsor spend $26,000 on an election when no one bothered to challenge the three Town Council incumbents who must face voters in November? Canceling the election would prevent anyone from staging a write-in campaign. But it would also save the town money. That’s the decision facing the Town Council.

Four contenders have joined the races for school boards in Windsor, Cinnabar, Forestville and Mark West. But in many Sonoma County districts there will be no competitive races. A recap of the action from Wednesday’s filing deadline.

Veteran school board member Larry Haenel plans to enter the race for the Santa Rosa City Council on Tuesday morning. He made the move after attorney Rick Meechan, who has worked with Haenel on the nonprofit political advocacy group Concerned Citizens for Santa Rosa, decided not to run for financial reasons.

In Healdsburg, council incumbents Eric Ziedrich and Lisa Wittke Schaffner are not running in November. Incumbent Jim Wood has qualified, along with recently retired Healdsburg Police Chief Susan E. Jones, for the two four-year seats. Shaun F. McCaffery, a mechanical engineer, filed to run for the seat with two years remaining that was vacated by Mike McGuire.

Three incumbents are running for re-election in Cloverdale — Joe Palla, Jessalee Raymond and Carol Russell. Former Cloverdale City Councilwoman Gail Pardini-Plass has also decided to run, along with Mike Maacks, an investigator.

In Windsor, there are no challengers to the three town council incumbents up for re-election: Steve Allen, Robin Goble and Sam Salmon.

The deadline for entry in the race was extended in 21 districts when incumbents did not file papers to compete. The new deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Mayor Susan Gorin and Councilwoman Veronica Jacobi are seeking reelection, but Councilwoman Jane Bender did not file by the deadline.