For weeks leading up to last week’s primary elections, there was absolutely no drama for local voters.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump had sewn up their party’s nominations. State Rep. Kathy Rapp and state Sen. Scott Hutchinson had no challengers. All indications were that the primary would be a low turnout, low impact election.

That changed when Erin Willman decided she would run a write-in campaign to challenge Rapp to represent Warren County in the state House of Representatives. There were 2,000 write-in votes during last week’s primary, with 495 people writing in Willman’s name. That was enough to earn a place on the ballot for the November election.

As convoluted as the system seems, this is why there are primary elections. They give an opportunity for those who aren’t favored by political parties behind closed doors to take their case to the electorate to get on the ballot or provide an opportunity for those who decide late in the process that they want to run. The openness a primary offers is important.

Now, there will be a little excitement locally for election season. It’s an interesting race. Willman is a newcomer to politics who has made a bit of a name for herself with testimony before the U.S. Senate and a followup visit to Warren by U.S. Sen Bob Casey. Rapp is a longtime House representative who knows how the levers of power work in Harrisburg and who has a lengthy history representing the county.