Tired of the way things are being run in Freeborn County, St. Paul or even Washington? This is your chance to make a difference.

The filing period for federal, state and county offices is now open and runs through 5 p.m. on July 20.

Jobs up for grabs this year include Minnesota’s 134 state House seats and eight congressional seats.

Candidates for the state House must have lived in that district at least six months prior to the Nov. 2 election and have resided in Minnesota for a year. The filing fee is $100.

Congressional aspirants must be at least 25 years old and prove they have been a U.S. citizen for seven years. The fee is $300.

People who sign up have until July 22 to formally withdraw. Filing fees won’t be refunded.

Already on Tuesday, people were announcing their intentions to run for county board seats. And that’s encouraging. Rather than complaining, it is good to see people step forward to roll up their sleeves and share their talents.

We tip our hat to those who have decided to become candidates, and encourage others who are considering it to do so.

No, public office is never an easy thing, and at times it seems like nobody is happy with decisions that are made. But at the same time, it’s gratifying for those in office who have worked hard to see projects get under way or completed and see neighbors represented. Those are the rewards.

So if government interests you, we urge you to give it a try and consider running for office. There’s still time to research what is involved and find out if it’s right for you. If it’s not, get behind someone who does seem right for the job and work to get that person elected or re-elected.

Those who sit back and do nothing have no reason to complain.