Unfortunately, popularity contests didn’t end in middle school or high school. Politics are permeated with decisions that are made on who you know, rather than what you can do.

Hopefully, the Republican Central Committee will rise above that and choose the most qualified person for the county commission job rather than the individual who brings the most political clout.

And it certainly looks to be a crowded field with at least half a dozen residents vying to fill the two-year unexpired term that will be vacated in March when Commissioner Jason Stephens takes over as the county auditor.

It is very encouraging that so many people are interested in the position but that isn’t surprising since the job comes with a more than $60,000 a year salary package. The challenge comes from the finding the right person.

The best county commission candidate will be an individual who is dedicated to making progress, doesn’t have an agenda or political affiliations that could skew decisions, has the time to dedicate to the job full-time, is intelligent enough to analyze the data before making a decision and isn’t afraid to change the status quo.

Finding that ideal person — if one even exists — won’t be easy but the first step is to remove friendship and politics from the equation.

With Ohio facing a massive budget shortfall this year, a tough budget in Lawrence County is likely to get even more challenging as the state tightens its belt and trims local government funds.

The county commission job is likely to become more important — and more difficult — than ever before.