In case you haven't noticed, it's an election year. Soon, those of you who are responsible citizens will begin receiving prerecorded phone calls from candidates and their supporters asking for your vote, and your mailbox, well, it will begin to fill up with mailers from candidates asking for your vote, too.

This year, 2014, is a little different though. Instead of waiting until summer to cast your vote in the Primary Election, early voting will begin April 28, at the board of elections and registration and primary election day will be May 20.

Additionally, the qualifying period will be earlier. It will be from 9 a.m. March 3 until noon March 7 at the Dawson County Board of Elections and our great Capitol depending on the elected position for which you wish to qualify.

At 6 p.m. Feb. 10, at the Bowen Center for the Arts, the Dawson County Republican Party will host a community wide information (and persuasive) program on why you should consider running for office.

The program is nonpartisan; it is open to Republicans, Libertarians, Democrats, Independents, any and all who have an interest in making their community an even better place to live.

Come and find out more reasons why it's worth the effort to get involved and consider running for office. Glenda Ferguson, Bill Saling, Jim King and a few others will be sharing information and some motivation. Light refreshments will be available.

If you question the importance or significance of running for office, voting or electing the right people, consider this situation: Last week our school superintendent, Keith Porter, made an extremely wise choice to cancel school very early Tuesday morning. He had access to the same weather information that other school superintendents had.

Those other school superintendents choose not to cancel school, even though the weather forecast called for a higher probability of ice and snow in parts of their areas. The very people we elect to be on the school board are the people who will interview and finally hire Porter's replacement. So, who is on the school board does matter in more ways than you may have realized.

As the Seattle Seahawk's quarterback Russell Wilson's dad said: "Why not you?"

Why not you to make a difference and run for office?

Linda Clary Umberger

Chair, Dawson County Republican Party