The race is on for the 10 Minnesota House of Representative seats and the five state Senate positions in southeast Minnesota. Every sitting senator and representative has at least one challenger, and the two seats being vacated by the incumbent have two candidates.
That's the way it should be.
After this week's filing deadline, anything less would be a disappointment.
Voters need choices when heading to the ballot box.
However, that choice carries responsibility. With names in hand, it's important that voters take the time needed in the coming months to learn as much as possible about the people seeking their votes.
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We'll hear from supporters of nearly every candidate on the ballot. We'll hear why they think their candidates will bring positive results and why the other candidates are less qualified.
We'll hear what others believe.
Each and every voter, however, needs to determine who to support based on their own beliefs. They need to know how the candidates stack up to their priorities.
When it comes to filling the state Legislature for next year, that means every Southeast Minnesota voter will have two candidates to choose, one in the Senate and one in the House. They will need to consider how the candidates will work together and how closely they will meet expectations on various issues.
Those are not things anyone should let another person decide.
Take time to find out who is running in your district, and then find ways to gather other information. Check out their websites, go to www.revisor.mn.gov to find out how incumbents voted and which bills they authored, attend events where candidates will speak, and reach out to ask questions.
We each owe it to ourselves, our cities and our state to make informed decisions in the upcoming elections.
