Though November is still a couple of months away, it’s safe to assume many of you are already tired of hearing about elections.

We understand that sentiment, especially when it comes to national politics. But we hope you continue to pay attention, particularly at the local level, where important decisions must be made this fall.

Voters will elect volunteer board members to oversee the local college, hospital, fire, cemetery, conservation and school districts.

With the filing period closing Monday, it’s disappointing to see how few candidates have decided to seek some of those positions.

For the Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees, four seats will be on the November ballot; as of Wednesday, only three residents had filed to run in this fall’s general election. By comparison, eight residents are seeking four available spots on the Cody school board.

We don’t want to see a repeat of the general election six years ago, when there were two blank spots on the ballot. In that November 2010 election, only three candidates filed for five open positions on the Powell Hospital District Board. Thankfully, several candidates launched write-in campaigns that fall so the positions didn’t go unfilled.

If you have considered serving on a local board, there’s still time to step forward.

Candidates can file at the Park County Courthouse in Cody or the district offices. The filing period closes at 5 p.m. Monday.

Serving on a special district board often means putting in a lot of hours with no pay and little recognition or even thanks. While that may not sound enticing, these elected leaders do significant work in local communities. They oversee millions of dollars in public money and make important decisions.

We appreciate the work of volunteer board members, and hope to see more people willing to serve in our community.