In last week's edition of the Town and Country, we told you that there are five seats up for election on the Upper Perkiomen School Board, but only two candidates.  In less than two weeks voters will cast their ballots and simple math tells you that we're three candidates short of a full slate.

                The reasons that candidates shy away from throwing their hat in the ring are many.  Some feel they truly are not qualified to conduct the business of the school district and their election to the position would add nothing and, perhaps, hurt the administration of the schools.

                The economy continues to challenge us all as two-income families are needed, leaving many with the choice of spending time serving the public or being with their loved ones and managing their own households.

                For those who feel they're qualified, have time to devote to the position of school board member, and have a true desire to serve and, possibly, make an impact on student education, there may be other reasons that they don't get involved.

                Every local, elected position can be a personally rewarding adventure.  You receive only a token payment or none at all for your efforts, but serving others and making a contribution of your time and talents to the community gives you a feeling of accomplishment.

                We live in a small-town community.  In that environment, it's too easy for the gossip of ne'er-do-wells to overcome the good deeds that many provide.  Those who spread half-truths and out-and-out lies don't care who they hurt as long as their personal agenda is met.  The victims of the gossip and lies usually won't dignify the hater by putting themselves or their family "out there" for continuous ridicule by the words of a bully.

                And, of course, we live in a time of deep political divisions.  There are people on the far left and people on the far right who absolutely refuse to talk, let alone compromise, on many issues.  Many of us have experienced the conversation where you express a view only to become the immediate victim of a vicious verbal attack telling you that your opinion is automatically wrong because it doesn't agree with theirs.  No room for discussion here.

                If you're lucky, you'll be able to escape the verbal assault.  You may still find yourself targeted, though, by bullies who find safety in the internet and social networking where they won't be held accountable for their words.

If so many people are dissatisfied with the performance of an elected official, why are people not clamoring to take their place?

                Haters, even the qualified ones, seldom run for local elected positions because, well, they may have trouble hating the group that they become a member of.

                In our system, candidates have the right to present themselves to voters in a dignified, professional way.

                Voters have the right, via the ballot, to remove candidates, even incumbents, who are not up to the task of representing the people in the elected position they hold or desire to hold.

                The way we choose to conduct ourselves at public meetings, our demeanor when running into elected officials on the streets, our spoken words and those typed into the internet world all play a part in the success or failure of our system.