Our View: A healthy ballot in '08

Spirited elections benefit everybody. Uncontested or weakly contested elections poorly serve the democratic process.

Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or other, you whould be applauding this year's ballot for the Iredell County Board of Commissioners. A whopping 10 candidates are seeking three seats, which is either a testament to their dissatisfaction with their government or they simply have the urge to serve.

Most impressive of all is the fact that five Democrats have filed. That's rare in Iredell. How rare? Consider this: Iredell County hasn't had a Democratic primary since 1992, but it will this year. Come May, the five Democrats will be whittled down to three for the November ballot.

Republicans will also have a primary, also with five candidates. But that's not rare here; the GOP has ruled county politics for more than two decades and always has lots of candidates.

Regardless of your political persuasion, look at this year's competition for county commission as a healthy one for Iredell.