Petition circulation has begun for upcoming local elections.

Several positions in the DeKalb government must be filled: the circuit clerk, coroner, state attorney, treasurer and all 24 board member positions are up for election, which will take place March 20.

“These leaders are responsible for setting your taxes,” said John Acardo, DeKalb County clerk and recorder. “There are a lot of important responsibilities and duties that they fill.”

Acardo said the circuit clerk processes all court material, the state attorney is the chief prosecutor within the county, the treasurer collects all property taxes, the coroner conducts autopsies and works as the Emergency Services Disaster coordinator, and county board members set taxes, act as Forest Preserve commissioners and deal with other local issues.

Acardo said local politics are “by far one of the most important parts” of American government. Larry Anderson, County Board chairman, said board members try to protect the district and county and work for the taxpayers, and are able to do so more closely than members of higher levels of government.

“Once you get on the state level, the national one, you’re so far removed,” Anderson said.

Not everyone participates in DeKalb politics, however. Political science professor Barbara Burrell said citizens “don’t get that excited” about politics at a local level, even though local leaders’ decisions affect health care, county schools, infrastructure and more. Burrell said, in the end, it is up to individual citizens to participate in the formation of their government, and therefore, their lives.

“It seems rather strange [that some citizens don’t vote] because these are the people who affect you most, and this is where your vote can most likely count,” Burrell said.

Freshman accounting major Darnell Burgess, Jr. said he does not plan to vote in upcoming elections because he thinks most politicians don’t care about helping people.

“I will vote if I feel like there’s going to be someone who can change things,” Burgess said.

Those who seek to be elected to these positions must gather the necessary number of signatures for their petitions. Politicians submit these petitions by the week of Nov. 28. An objection period follows during which residents can object to a candidate if they feel the candidate has a discrepancy within their petition packet. Should there be an objection, Acardo said there would be a court-like proceeding where he and others review the case. Voting will begin Feb. 9 and end March 20.