Being a candidate

Tuesday was a busy day for Missouri's county and state election officials. It was the first day of the monthlong filing period for county and state offices. When 5 p.m. March 28 rolls around, all of the candidates to appear on August primary ballots and November general-election ballots will have formally announced their intention to submit to the will of voters.

As expected, incumbents seeking re-election came out in force on the first day of filing. But there were plenty of challengers who completed the process to have their names on the ballot too.

Serving as an elected official in any capacity is a serious and important responsibility. With few exceptions, candidates who file for any office have every intention of serving to the best of their ability and contributing to the governmental process that relies on a political system to choose officeholders.

As equally important as serving in an elected position is being a candidate. Individuals who run for office are subjected to public scrutiny in ways that private citizens rarely encounter. In addition to the financial realities of being a serious candidate, those who run for office also understand that their families are likely to be affected by the process.

It takes a certain amount of courage to be a candidate for elective office. We congratulate all those who step up to the challenge by participating in this important process. Good luck to them all.