`What if they had an election and nobody ran?`

By Denise Kadilak
Herald Staff Writer

On Nov. 4 voters in some municipalities may notice a few vacancies on the ballot.

According to Director of Mercer County Elections Maurice P. Keaveny, Fredonia and New Lebanon have no one running for mayor. Other communities with job openings include:

French Creek Township _ one opening for school director to sit on the Crawford Central School District school board.
Pymatuning and West Salem townships _ each with one opening for school director to sit on the Reynolds Area School District school board.
Fredonia, Sheakleyville and Stoneboro _ each with one open council seas.
Jackson Township _ one opening for supervisor
Jackson Center and Pymatuning Township _ each with one opening for tax collector.
French Creek, Greene, Pymatuning, Sandy Creek, Sheakleyville, South Pymatuning, West Salem and Wolf Creek townships along with Jackson Center and Stoneboro _ each have openings for auditors.
There are also several vacancies on different election boards for judges and inspectors.

Keaveny on Thursday said, ``I think there are interested people out there who just did not want to file petitions.''

He now hopes these people make their move as write-in candidates. A write-in candidate can win any of the above offices with just one vote if no one else mounts a similar campaign for the seat.

If no one runs, however, Keaveny said the responsibility to fill the empty seats will fall onto the shoulders of the communities' elected officials. They would have to name a candidate to the vacancy within 30 days after their re-organization meeting.

Keaveny said he believes many of these communities are too small to support the large councils they have.

``I pester elected officials every other year to reduce the ballot, and they always tell me `no, we can fill it.' ''

Keaveny said municipalities with populations of 3,000 or less can petition the courts to reduce its council's size. So far only Sheakleyville has taken advantage of this option.

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Updated Oct. 24, 1997
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