Eureka: A Town With No Political Candidates

Residents in the Wayne County town, population 240, said it's fairly common for people to skip the formality of filing as political candidates. Most local officials have been elected based on write-in votes, they said.

"Somehow or another, they sort of know who to write in, and they write in good candidates most of the time," former Mayor Ray Lancaster said. "It might be a better way to elect people than with all of this money people spend campaigning and getting out and telling all those stories that they tell about what they hope they can do."

Longtime resident Beatrice Williams said she would serve if enough people supported her, but she thinks younger residents would be better suited for the commissioner positions.

"I'll let the young people have it, and I'll back them up and push them," Williams said. "If (my name is) written in and I get it, I'll try to do the best I can."