I can barely recall ever being asked in the past to sign a petition for someone seeking to get on the ballot in a Milwaukee election. In the past month or so, I've been asked by no fewer than three people who are hoping to get a shot at a vacant judgeship and three more for school board hopefuls.

In the cases of the school board candidates, these folks came to the door -- which has to be tough row to hoe. The would-be judges' requests tended to arrive via friends. In at least one case, one of the latter collected more than twice the 1,500 names required to get on the ballot. But that probably doesn't mean it's so easy for everyone.

It got me wondering. In a free and open democracy, should someone have to jump through hoops like this to be allowed on an election ballot? Shouldn't we all be free to run?

I asked State Rep. Jon Richards -- because he has always appeared to me to be that rarest of birds, a thoughtful and intelligent elected official, and because he certainly doesn't seem like the type to want to impede citizens' rights to run for office -- what he thinks. Remember, he would have had to play this petition game himself at the beginning.

Is it a good idea to make people do this if they want a shot at public office?

"Yes, I do think it's a good system," he said via telephone. "If you're running for public office I think it's reasonable for people to show that you have some minimal support in the community before you're placed on a ballot for election."

But what about those who can't -- for whatever reason -- get the signatures? Does the constitution say that one must have a lot of pals -- or a sturdy pair of shoes -- to run for office?

"There still is the ability for someone to run as a write-in candidate," Richards reminded me. "As a matter of fact, we elected someone to the legislature in the '80s, Peter Bock (a Milwaukee Democrat now living in Madison), who served for almost 15 years and was a great member of the legislature.

"There are ways to deal with the shortcomings of the petition system, but I think the system is a good one."

In the end, I guess it makes sense that if voters want to have a coherent list of viable candidates from which to choose on election day, Richards is right. Having people collect the signatures is probably a good way of weeding out the jokesters and dabblers. If you're willing to walk door to door on a December Saturday asking for signatures, you probably really do want the job.