America’s democracy has always been built on the concepts of citizens having choices when it comes to who will lead us and then taking an active role in choosing those individuals.

The Sun’s recent Closer Look article helped shine some light on the fact that, when it comes to our local elected offices, the pay is enticing and the requirements are relatively minimal.

This means almost anyone can seek a public office.

And, at the end of the day, that is a positive.

Hopefully, the article that briefly outlined responsibilities, requirements, compensation and other elements will pique the interests of more citizens who want to make a difference in our community.

A crowded field is almost always good for voters, but we still hope people look toward elected offices for the right reasons. Being a true public servant requires commitment, sacrifice, hard work, intelligence, perspective and so much more.

It may be cold outside, but the 2018 election season is about to start heating up and the field will really take shape soon.

We hope to see more people throw their hats in the proverbial ring over the next two weeks.

This year, all county and city offices are on the ballot, along with half of the state senators and representatives, some school board candidates, U.S. representatives and others.

Other than school board candidates who don’t have to file their paperwork until later in the year, candidates for other county offices must file their documents by 4 p.m. Jan. 30 in order to be part of the May 22 primary.

With the 2018 Super Bowl just a few weeks away, it seems fitting to acknowledge that our community, just like every other one, is filled with Monday morning quarterbacks who often forget that hindsight is 20-20. Having so many elected positions open offers a real opportunity to get off the sidelines, get in the game and be a part of the team.

That’s a win for everyone.