Douglas County’s election ballot will reflect a troubling trend of nonparticipation across the state.

Four area incumbents in the Kansas House are among the 45 candidates without opposition from either party. That means that, although the general election isn’t until November, Lawrence Democrats Barbara Ballard and Paul Davis and area Republicans Joe Humerickhouse and Lee Tafanelli already have been re-elected to the Kansas House.

Competition also is slight in Douglas County races that will be decided in November. Two county commissioners, Republicans Jere McElhaney and Bob Johnson will be returned to their seats without opposition. McElhaney said after the filing deadline that he considered the lack of competition a vote of confidence in “a fantastic County Commission” that works well together and serves the county well.

That rationale may have some validity when incumbents are returned to office, but it doesn’t hold up very well when nonincumbents are elected without opposition. Retirements left an unusual number of county offices without incumbents in the race this year, including the county’s treasurer, sheriff and clerk. There will be a Republican primary for the county treasurer’s seat and a general election race for county clerk, but only one candidate filed for the important job of Douglas County Sheriff.

Although Republican Ken McGovern has served in the unelected post of undersheriff, it’s safe to say that most voters know almost nothing about him or his qualifications for office. And because he won’t be required to stage a campaign, the public won’t know much more about him before he is sworn into office. Democrat Kay Pesnell also faces no opposition in her race to be register of deeds. Because she is serving out the unexpired term of Sue Neustifter, who retired in 2002, Pesnell is an incumbent but also has never faced the scrutiny of an election campaign.

Party affiliations may not mean as much to voters as they once did, but a decline in party organizations is at least partially to blame for the apathy reflected in unfilled election slates. Traditionally, party leaders have worked hard to attract and support candidates for office. Their efforts made sure voters had a choice and that candidates would have to debate issues and express their views as part of an active campaign.

Increasingly, those efforts have fallen by the wayside, which is a disturbing trend. It may be difficult and expensive to mount a serious challenge against an incumbent, but it’s important. Not to field a major party candidate in a race without an incumbent seems just plain lazy.

A former presidential Cabinet member being interviewed on television last week noted that many Americans have given up on politics. Because politics is the practical application of democracy, he said, giving up on politics is equivalent to giving up on democracy.

It’s a sobering thought that should be of some concern as voters in Douglas County and across the nation look at the many empty spaces on their election ballots.