Be a part of democracry and run for office

Why don't you run for office?

This Friday at 5 p.m. is the deadline to turn in your petition to run in the May primary.

In the state of Idaho, it's a pretty easy hurdle to get a name on the ballot. A person has to be 18, live in the district he or she wants to represent and have no felonies hanging over his or her head.

That's about it.

Oh, there is the small matter of putting your name on the ballot. All a person has to do there is convince five friends, neighbors or relatives to sign your petition if you are running for county office. If you can't round up five signatures, you can pay $40 instead. Here's a hint - if you can't find five people who will sign your petition, you might want to reconsider your candidacy.

If you are thinking about a state legislative seat, you will need 50 signatures or $30. That's right you need 45 more people to sign this petition or $10 less than a countywide candidate.

If you plan on winning, you might want to budget money for newspaper advertising and lawn signs.

We have pretty good folks in most elected seats up here. We definitely have citizen legislators, which is the way it should be.

There is always room for more folks who want to step up and make a difference.

Remember, democracy is a participatory sport.

If you have any questions about candidacy, eligibility, etc., contact the county clerk's office at 265-1432.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.