It's time to "put up or shut up."

The filing period for political candidates begins Tuesday.

For a 2-week period, all the elective office hopefuls must make up their minds about public service. Otherwise, their hopes become hopeless.

First, two dates to remember:

The Minnesota primary election is Sept. 10.

The general election takes place Nov. 5.

While all the office-hopefuls have their eyes set on the November date, one of them must first focus n the September

date.

Terry Kelley, Austin, is a candidate. Although incumbent State Sen. Grace Schwab (R-Albert Lea) and DFL-endorsed candidate Dan Sparks, Austin, garner more attention in the Senate District 27 race, Kelley insists he is in the race until the end.

"I will file for the Senate District 27 office," Kelley said. "I've been door-knocking a lot and getting a good response from voters in the district.

"People know me after five years as one of the morning anchors on a popular television station that serves households in Freeborn and Mower counties," he said.

"And, I've talked to a lot of people in St. Paul in the DFL party and they continue to encourage me to remain in the campaign and run for the office. They consider me an electable candidate," he said.

Kelley lost out in a bid for the Senate District 27 DFL Party endorsement this spring.

Despite his backing by former State Sen. Pat Piper, Kelley lost to Sparks, an Austin businessman, whose mother is a DFL Party lobbyist.

Kelley said he has no plans to withdraw from the campaign and will conduct a state primary election battle against Sparks for a place on the DFL ticket in November.

"I was in a parade last Sunday at Conger and the Grand Meadow and Lyle parades this past weekend. I'm still in the race for the senate seat," he said.

The filing period for the State General Election begins 8 a.m. Tuesday and ends 5 p.m. Friday, July 16.

Candidates for

the following offices must file with the Secretary of State in St. Paul: U.S. Senate, U.S. Congressman, State Senate District 27, State Rep. 27A and 27B and Minnesota Governor, Lt. Governor, Auditor, Attorney and Secretary of State.

Also needing to file with the Secretary of State are judicial offices, including Minnesota Supreme Court of Appeals and Third Judicial District. Among the Third Judicial district judgeships are two in Mower County.

District Judges Donald E. Rysavy and Fred W. Wellman must file for reelection to the bench.

Candidates for county offices must file their intentions with the Mower County Auditor, during the July 2-16 filing period.

They include Mower County Commissioners in Districts 3, 4 and 5; county auditor, attorney, recorder, sheriff and treasurer and Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors, Districts 3 and 4.

The only known county office race is for sheriff. Incumbent Mower County Sheriff Barry J. Simonson has announced he will retire from office at the end of his current 4-year term.

Chief Deputy Terese Amazi has announced her intentions to run for the office and last week

Adams City Council member Michael Cherney announced he would file for the sheriff's race this week.

Need election judges

Also needed are election judges.

Anyone eligible to vote, who can read, write and speak English is eligible to be an election judge. However, election judges cannot be candidates for elective office or related to a

candidate for elective office.

Election judges are the people responsible for administering election procedures in the voting place on election day.

For more information about filing for elective office or being an election nudges, call the Mower County Auditor at 437-9535.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com