Finally! Election Day is less than a week away, and some races have probably been decided based on the vote-by-mail returns.

Although the Republican presidential nomination process is wrapped up, Bernie Sanders is now within the margin of error in some statewide polls, and with the most recent reports showing Hillary Clinton’s continued deception regarding the email scandal, Tuesday night could prove very interesting.

Besides that, California also has an open U.S. Senate seat for the first time since the 1990s, with more than 30 candidates on the ballot.

The presidential race is just a small part of the election process here in Santa Clarita. With no incumbent in both state Senate seats, the local state Assembly seat and county supervisor, candidates are pushing hard to secure a top-two finish to advance to the general election on Nov. 8. National Democrats are also targeting U.S. Rep. Steve Knight; however, they must decide on their own candidate first. Also important to the Santa Clarita Valley is Measure E.

For what it’s worth, here are my recommendations:

U.S. Senate: Tom Del Bacarro. I have known Tom for a decade, and although most pundits feel two Democrats will emerge, I think it’s important both parties are represented in general elections. I think Tom is the best Republican option.

Congress: Steve Knight. Congressman Knight has done a great job for the SCV in his first term, specifically around his efforts to bring the Cemex issue to its conclusion.

State Senate (27th District): Steve Fazio. Former law enforcement officer and now successful businessman, Steve has a great resume and frankly is the only candidate I have seen visit the Santa Clarita Valley.

State Senate (21st District): Scott Wilk. Easy choice. He will be the first SCV resident to serve in the state Senate in decades.

State Assembly: Both Santa Clarita Mayor Pro Tem Dante Acosta and Mike Antonovich Deputy Jarrod Degonia are solid choices who will work hard to represent the SCV in Sacramento.

L.A. County Supervisor: Los Angeles Councilman Mitch Englander is my top choice here. He worked closely with Santa Clarita leaders to defeat the Las Lomas project in the past and knows our valley and its issues well.

Republican Central Committee: Central committees are important party positions because they are charged with organizing voter registration, voter information, candidate recruiting, and getting out the Republican vote in their respective Assembly districts. I support John Dortch, Patty Kelly, Mark Hershey, Andre Hollings, Michael Hildebrand, Joe Messina and John Musella.

Measure E: A $15 property assessment (per $100,000 of value) will generate much-needed funds for construction at the Canyon Country campus along with modernization and a 1,000-space parking structure in Valencia. Thousands of kids are on the waiting list, and these improvements will give more SCV students access to a quality, affordable education in a reasonable timeframe. Vote “yes” on Measure E.

Former Assemblyman Cameron Smyth is a Santa Clarita resident.