The last time Baltimore held a municipal election, 292,059 people were eligible to vote in the Democratic primary, but only 74,460 of them — just over 25 percent — bothered to cast a ballot for mayor.

Five years later, there are lines at early voting sites around the city. On the first day, 5,000 people showed up, or more than triple the number at that stage of the contest in 2011. To be sure, part of the answer may lie in Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's successful push to move the city's primary to coincide with the presidential election cycle, instead of running on an off-year. The move was designed to save money but also in hopes that it might prompt higher turnout. Given the bit of luck that Maryland's late presidential primary will actually be consequential, it's possible that we're just witnessing the spillover effect of Hillary vs. Bernie.

But we expect something more is going on here. In the year since last April's riots, Baltimore has seen a major political upheaval. Not only did Mayor Rawlings-Blake choose not to seek re-election but so did a huge swath of the City Council. Consequently, the mayor's race has been among the most contested in recent memory with at least a half-dozen serious candidates, and so have been council races across the city. Voters unaccustomed to much plausible choice in who will represent them on the City Council are now being bombarded with glossy campaign literature from one talented newcomer after another.

We on The Sun's editorial board have been interviewing candidates for mayor nearly every day for the last two weeks to determine our endorsement, which we will make in the coming days. We have also spoken with dozens of council candidates, many of them young, ambitious and frustrated with the status quo. We'll have recommendations in those races, too.

It is clear that the people want and have the chance to get real and substantial change. But the only way to guarantee it is to get involved in the process. The Sun has a wealth of information about the candidates in its online voter guide (data.baltimoresun.com/voter-guide-2016). Sun columnist Dan Rodricks has also recorded an extensive set of interviews with the candidates for his Roughly Speaking podcast, available at baltimoresun.com/roughlyspeaking and on Stitcher and Apple's podcast app. Read, listen and decide which candidates speak most directly to your concerns and aspirations for Baltimore.

April 26 will mark the most consequential election in Baltimore in at least a generation, and April 27 will mark the anniversary of Freddie Gray's funeral and the subsequent unrest. A year ago, the world saw this city at its worst. When the cameras return this month, nothing would demonstrate our resilience and determination better than a huge turnout at the polls. To show Baltimore at its best, there is one simple thing we can do: vote.