LAONA, CRANDON - Voters choose from lots of candidates in both presidential primaries and general elections.

Most state offices even have several candidates on the ballot.

But what if nobody wants to do the job?

What if nobody is on the ballot?

That's what's happening in many small school districts in northern Wisconsin.

Crandon is operating with a school board of just three people right now.

Laona had two school board positions open in the April election.

No names were on the ballot.

The Chequamegon School District wants three representatives from Glidden on their board.

They have zero.

A five-member school board hired District Administrator Jim Asher in Crandon three years ago.

Not one of those board members remains.

Resignations and retirements mean the number has dwindled even further.

"You know, when there's just three people, there's not a lively debate on the topics," says Asher.

Being on a school board is a big time commitment.

But in communities like Crandon, there's more to consider.

"In a small community, sometimes when you're on a school board, you have to make decisions that aren't popular or people don't have a clear understanding of why the decisions were made. I think that causes some people to be hesitant to get on the board," he says.

Crandon will appoint two new members next week to again have a full board.

Jim's wife Laurie is the administrator in Laona.

She also got used to operating shorthanded when their board lost a member.

"We of course posted the position and did not get anyone interested, kind of did some active seeking, and there just wasn't anyone interested. One board position sat open from August until April," says Laurie Asher.

Laona's board now has a full five members.

But that's only after two write-in candidates won in the April election.

No one had been on the ballot to serve.

Chequamegon has had a pair of vacant seats for more than a year.

It seems no representatives from Glidden have any interest in serving on the board.

Story By: Ben Meyer