This Saturday’s ballot includes many important offices in addition to that of mayor. If New Orleans is to move forward in the next four years, it’s important for voters to elect a team of leaders who will work well together. Above all, we urge all our New Orleans readers who have not already voted to cast their ballots on Saturday, Feb. 6. Meanwhile, we offer the following recommendations.

City Council at-Large (Vote for Two)

Arnie Fielkow

Jackie Clarkson

Nolan Marshall III

The field of candidates seeking the two at large council seats is large and well qualified — so much so that we recommend more than two candidates. There is much to like about incumbents Arnie Fielkow and Jackie Clarkson, and just as much to admire in civic leader Nolan Marshall III.

Fielkow was elected four years ago after a distinguished career in the private sector. He is best known for his tenure with the New Orleans Saints — and for his devotion to the city and the team after Hurricane Katrina. Since his election in 2006, Fielkow has shown an ability to unite and to lead, particularly during strenuous times. He has championed the cause of openness and transparency in the award of contracts, and he helped establish and fund the Office of Inspector General.

Clarkson has long championed arts and culture as well as reform. She took the lead in establishing the Federal City, which is anchoring the military’s vital presence in New Orleans. She also authored a pair of key City Charter amendments — one to fund the Office of Inspector General, and one to give the new master plan the force of law. Equally important, her career as a Realtor gives her added credibility as the city moves to refurbish large assets and possibly relocate or redevelop City Hall.

Marshall has an impressive resume for someone only 30 years old. He is the associate director of Common Good, a nonprofit that works across racial, religious and other lines to develop consensus for rebuilding New Orleans. He also served as president of the Young Leadership Council, helped establish the New Orleans Crime Coalition, serves as board president of Einstein Charter School and has served on many civic, professional and business boards. As New Orleans looks to the future, Marshall represents a new generation of leadership that is ready to serve.

Council District A

Susan Guidry

Attorney Susan Guidry is a neighborhood leader who responded to the post-Katrina crisis by getting involved and making a difference. She has served as president of the Parkview Neighborhood Association and as a member of the District 5 Planning Committee (which helped write the city’s recovery plan). As a neighborhood leader, she fought to shut down a nuisance bar and helped re-open a fire station. An experienced trial attorney, she knows how to fight and when to compromise. These skills will serve District A well on the council.

Council District B

Stacy Head

Head’s style can be combative, but few question her motives or her integrity. She is smart, focused and driven to make New Orleans government more efficient and more accountable. Even in the face of controversy and confrontation, Head does not waver — and she has earned a strong base of support among black voters in this majority-African-American district by continuing to advocate for their needs while some played the race card against her. We look forward to seeing Head work with a competent and honest administration.

Council District C

Kristin Gisleson Palmer

Four years ago, we endorsed Palmer for this seat, and we do so again this year. Since 2006, Palmer has served as executive director of Rebuilding Together, one of the most successful programs of the Preservation Resource Center and a model for post-disaster redevelopment using “green” principles and techniques. Her efforts have helped more than 400 families return home post-Katrina. She also created Confetti Kids, a nonprofit that renovates parks and playgrounds in Algiers Point. She is a dynamo who will be an excellent addition to the council.

Council District D

Cynthia Hedge-Morrell

Incumbent Hedge-Morrell, who chairs the council’s Budget Committee, has been a force for fiscal sanity on the council and an effective counterweight to some of Mayor Ray Nagin’s budgetary excesses. She also has championed recovery efforts across her district, most of which flooded during Hurricane Katrina. As the council gains new voices, her experience and steadiness will make her a natural leader among the district council members.

Council District E

Austin Badon

Badon leads a crowded field to represent the city’s largest district in terms of landmass. District E also was the hardest hit by Katrina. As a state legislator from eastern New Orleans, he chairs the House Education Committee and authored key education reform bills. He also authored legislation consolidating the city’s seven assessors’ offices into one. His experience as a lawmaker proves that he stands tall against political odds on behalf of reform. He will be a welcome addition to the council.

Sheriff

Marlin Gusman

Criminal Sheriff Marlin Gusman has the education, experience and toughness needed in New Orleans’ only sheriff. A lawyer with an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, Gusman has worked hard to improve conditions and functions at the city’s jail. He will work just as hard to combine his current office with that of the civil sheriff. He has served with distinction on the City Council and as a top administrator under two mayors. His knowledge of local government uniquely qualifies him for this job, which interfaces with all elements of the justice system.

Clerk, Criminal Court

Arthur Morrell

Incumbent Morrell has done a good job of cleaning up a mess he inherited from his predecessor. He continues to advocate for more resources to handle the paperwork and evidence that drives the efficiency of Criminal District Court. He also serves as the chief elections officer for Orleans Parish, a task he has performed well. He has earned another term.

Coroner

Dr. Frank Minyard

Minyard has served as the city’s coroner since 1974 and leads an effort to modernize the office. His opponent, a former school board member who has run for this and other offices in recent years, served time in jail for tax evasion in the early 1990s. The coroner’s office is too important to politicize. Dr. Minyard deserves one more term to finish the task of upgrading the coroner’s facilities.

State Senate, District 5

Karen Carter Peterson

Peterson is one of the leaders of a young but talented New Orleans legislative delegation. She serves as House speaker pro tem, which shows the esteem in which her colleagues hold her. In the House, Peterson has led the fight for education reform and against drastic cuts to higher education and health care. As a senator, she will continue to represent her district and her city effectively.

Assessor and Judge

No Endorsements

?Gambit has long taken the position that judges and assessors should be appointed, not elected. We therefore make no endorsements in the races for citywide assessor and for judgeships at Juvenile Court and Civil District Court.