A school board member from Deerfield has filled in as school district clerk. The Winnisquam Regional School District may need legal advice on functioning with a too-small budget committee. No one is on the ballot in Weare for the positions of ethics committee, moderator or cemetery trustee.

In each of these towns, as in others across the state, officials say they have a hard time finding people to run for elected office. In about 15 local towns and school districts, there is not a single contested race.

"The only thing I can conjecture is that people live busy lives," said Tom Haley, superintendent of SAU 53, which includes Allenstown, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom and Pembroke. "People are drawn in many ways by jobs, family, other responsibilities. As small towns grow, there may be less and less of a feeling of ownership."

Serving as a town official, whether as selectman, school board member or cemetery trustee, can be a difficult, time-consuming job, with few rewards. The positions are volunteer posts, or close to it. And frequent meetings can turn people off.

"It's a thankless job," said Gilmanton Selectwoman Rachel Hatch.

In Gilmanton, the races for two selectmen's seats, for two school board seats, and for town and school district moderators are uncontested. Hatch, who was appointed to fill the seat of a selectman who died and is running to keep her seat, said the job requires her to stop by the selectmen's office often, read backup documentation and meet every Monday night, sometimes until as late as 11 p.m.

"A lot of people with young families don't have time to put into it," she said.

In Pembroke, when no one met the filing deadline for a spot on the board of selectmen, Tina Courtemanche, who was debating whether to run, decided to launch a write-in campaign.

"She was hemming and hawing. Then, when nobody ended up filing, she called and said, 'Do you think I can do it?' " said Town Administrator Geoff Ruggles.

Pembroke has also had a difficult time filling its appointed boards and committees. There are three vacancies on the planning board and two spots where budget committee members said they will not serve again next year. The reasons include increased job travel, evening classes and medical issues.

"I get the feeling that more and more people's work is interfering with their ability to volunteer for other things," Ruggles said.

In Dunbarton, Selectmen Chairman Les Hammond said he was surprised that all the town's races were uncontested.

"The consensus from some people is they don't want the aggravation," he said. Often, people only see the selectmen at town meeting, where, he said, "someone doesn't like this and that, they get up and holler at you. . . . Some people don't want any part of that."

Even in towns where races for selectman or school board are hotly contested, finding people to fill less prestigious offices can be challenging. Hopkinton Town Clerk Sue Strickford said that while there are seven people running for school board, she often needs to recruit candidates for library trustee or cemetery trustee.

"Sometimes we have to go for write-ins," she said. "We try to recruit people, say, 'Do you like to do your civic duty, are you interested?' "

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