ABSTRACT
Many Americans, even though they still grudgingly accept that public officials from presidents to governors are a necessity, now refuse to look upon these officials with awe or make them the stuff of youthful dreams. Many citizens at the local level seem wary of running for public office and assuming the mantle of community leadership. Too often local politicians encounter hostility from their neighbors and friends and decide that public service is just not worth the time and the aggravation. The reluctance of Americans to become local officials has not reached crisis proportions yet, but the number of uncontested seats in town and city elections means that democracy is not vigorous and certainly not competitive. Every election in the country usually ends with the wringing of hands by political scientists, journalists, the League of Women voters, and reform groups like Common Cause.
