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Ready or not, the 2012 campaign season is under way.
Sept. 6 is the first day to circulate petitions for candidacy in the March 20, 2012 primary. The filing period is Nov. 28 to Dec. 5.
In Saline County, the offices of circuit clerk, state's attorney and coroner are on the ballot, as are all the seats on the County Board and the precinct committeemen. Every 10 years, all County Board seats come up for election due to redistricting, even though the county elects its board at-large. Once the election is held, a lottery determines who has two-year and four-year seats on the board, then the board elections are staggered every two years.
Possible candidates are weighing their options right now. Incumbents are deciding on whether to seek another term and challengers are trying to determine who is vulnerable. Some people may be looking to pick up petitions and never turn them in, hoping to confuse the Saline County body politic with rumors.
I imagine 2012 will be an especially bumpy campaign season from top to bottom, given the tone of 2010, the Washington nastiness, the upcoming presidential election and the justifiably restive mood of the voters.
Restive could give way to rowdy before the November 2012 finish line. Let's hope.
Eric Fodor covered local politics and the court system since 2001 for the Daily Register/Daily Journal -- until he recently became an employee of Saline County. Before that, he dipped his toe in the water in Carrier Mills village politics, first as a village board member, then as mayor from 1996-1998. He then came to his senses and went back to college before joining the newspaper. While no longer an employee of the newspaper, he has indicated he intends to continue blogging from time-to-time.
