Those who want a seat on the Lawrence County Commission will likely have to fight for it.

Six people — three Democrats and three Republicans — have picked up petitions to run in the 2016 election.

So far, five of those candidates have expressed interest in filing the seat of Republican Bill Pratt, who has also picked up a petition. The seat of Democratic commissioner Les Boggs is so far only sought after by the commissioner himself.

But there is still time for more candidates to throw his or her hat into the ring.

Candidates’ interest in these seats and others, like city council, have waned in recent years. And that is a shame.

There are plenty of people with vision and ideas who should see themselves as viable candidates, just like anyone else. Seeing so many people who have expressed interest in local politics hopefully is a sign that there is an upswing in interest in local government and the future of the county.

Those interested in being on the March primary ballot still have until Dec. 9 to file their petitions. We hope the citizens of Lawrence County have a well-rounded pool of candidates to choose from.

Just as voting is our right, privilege and civic duty, so is taking a stand on the issues facing our community and trying to make a difference in office.