• Originally published in the Kane County Chronicle on March 10, 2011
They say to write what you know. Well, my days at the moment are consumed with getting ready for the upcoming election.
We have candidates for city councils, village boards and school boards filtering through our office just about every hour on the hour. It’s almost like one of the German clocks in which lederhosen-wearing figurines comes out and perform a little dance on the hour. Except the candidates aren’t wearing lederhosen nor do they perform a little dance, which we here at the Kane County Chronicle truly appreciate.
It does, however, help us keep track of the time.
Eventually, once all the interviews are through, we’ll have to decide which candidates to endorse. But I applaud each and every candidate who has decided to put in the time and commitment to run for public office. It is no easy task to prepare for public office – it requires studying, studying, and – you guessed it – more studying.
We have plenty of races that are unopposed – and while certainly that makes our jobs a little easier, we prefer to have contested races. First, it gives voters a choice. And second, it forces incumbents to really think about the decisions they’ve made and how they plan on serving their next term if elected.
While I can’t blame people for not running for office – it’s a tough thing to do and should only be attempted by those serious about doing good for their communities – I can and do appreciate those who are giving us contested races. In the end, they might not receive our endorsement. But they certainly will have earned my respect.
• Joe Grace is the editor of the Kane County Chronicle. Write to him at jgrace@kcchronicle.com or call him at 630-845-5368.
Joe Grace 