At the Crocodile tonight, the nightlife industry will be gunning hard for the three candidates that they think will reverse a trend of anti-nightlife policies in the city. The Presidents of the United States of America and Krist Novoselic are performing for the high-ticket shindig—up to $350 a person for VIP passes, but tickets are being sold on a sliding scale—for mayoral candidate Mike McGinn, county executive candidate Dow Constantine, and city attorney hopeful Pete Holmes.

Indeed, while the incumbents have pushed an onerous nightlife agenda, Holmes has vowed to be supportive of nightlife interests and McGinn recently released a robust music and nightlife policy paper.

David Meinert, a nightlife advocate who is producing the show, says, “I believe these three candidates can change the future of this region." All of them support local culture and transportation, he says, whereas their opponents would rather put “more money in a so-called law-and-order agenda and highways." The three candidates will divide the donations equally.

“It’s a $200 suggested donation but they can give what they can,” Meinert says. “We don’t want tot turn a bunch of people away.” He says tickets will be available at the door. A VIP event at Via Tribunali in Belltown begins at 7:00 p.m., and music and speeches at the adjoining Crocodile run from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. More info here.

Full Disclosure: The Stranger’s promotions department sponsored this event by donating a quarter-page ad. But The Stranger’s promotions department has no influence over our editorial content.

If the candidate for City Attorney is elected:

Under my tenure, I will not charge another minor marijuana possession offense—either in conjunction with other charges or standing alone. Period.

On his show last week, Conan O'Brien said the following "joke:"

The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey wants to set up a citywide program to improve residents’ health. The health-care program would consist of a bus ticket out of Newark.

Wokka-wokka! Because Newark sucks, am I right? Well, Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark (and the star of the great political documentary Street Fight, and, incidentally, a man who will eventually become President of the United States of America), has responded to the joke:

I know Booker's response isn't the funniest thing in the world, but the man is totally my next political crush.

Incumbent Tom Carr and Pete Holmes, who are both running for City Attorney this year, are answering a slew of questions over in Electionland until 3:00 p.m. You can read their answers here.

And the candidates have clear differences. For instance, one readers asks, "Why is it legal for companies to wheat paste advertisements, but if you're an artist or band wheat pasting you can be cited and prosecuted?"

Carr starts off by distinguishing paste from glue:

Actually, it is not illegal to paste signs onto utility poles, as long as the signs conform to the city sign code, as found on the City of Seattle website. Glue is prohibited. Companies that paste signs can only do so if they follow the same sign code as artists or bands: signs must conform to size limitations, have a date posted and be removed.

Holmes shoots back:

From the beginning of the incumbent's first term in office, he has been hostile to First Amendment rights. His crusade against handbilling, posting on utility poles, etc., was finally slapped down in court at great expense to the City.

Joe asks if the city attorney should publish legal opinions online—why or why not?

Says Carr:

The City Attorney does not provide policy opinions. It is my job to remain neutral on civil matters. According to both the City Charter and state law, the City Attorney provides legal advice to the 9 city council members — individually and collectively — as well as the mayor and departments of the city. Because these communications are in the form of legal advice, they fall into attorney-client privilege, in much the same way that a citizen would get. Under state law, an attorney is prohibited from releasing legal advice without the consent of the client.

But Holmes disagrees:

City Attorney legal opinions will once again be published by Law Department under my tenure. Obvious exceptions include personnel and other matters, for instance, that are otherwise protected under law (the right of privacy in the Washington Constitution, among others).

Not only can this procedure prevent unnecessary relitigation or reassertion of settled matters, it is the very product of the Law Department that is funded by Seattle citizens. They have the right to see opinions that are produced with taxpayer dollars.

On pot laws, Carr says that decriminalization should happen at the state level—not by changing the city's enforcement—while Holmes says, "The citizens of Seattle have already spoken clearly that they want marijuana arrests and prosecutions to be the lowest priority." He adds, "I support decriminalizing marijuana, that is a clear difference between myself and Mr. Carr. He is still prosecuting 200 marijuana possession cases a year."

Comment and vote on the answers over HERE.

I took this picture moments ago of the Stranger Election Control Board interviewing City Attorney candidate Pete Holmes (left front) and incumbent Tom Carr (to Holmes's left):

There were lots of questions we didn't have time for. But both candidates will be answering your questions from now until 3:00 p.m. in Electionland. You can check it out here.

You can compare their answers and vote "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" now. May the best candidate win.