Whatever the reason, 13 candidates in seven Northern Kentucky communities had filed letters of intent to run as write-ins by Friday's deadline.

"I think a lot of the little tiny cities have a problem finding people to run,'' said Karen Bond, the 27-year clerk for Crestview, a Campbell County town of 471. "Between their jobs and their families, people are busy these days. And for some, it may seem a little intimidating to run for office, or they just don't think they'll make a difference.''

Although write-in candidates in the smallest cities don't have to pay a filing fee, they have to file a letter of intent with their county clerk by 10 days before the election.

In Crestview, David C. Heiert, who had previously filled an unexpired commission term, filed a letter of intent to be a write-in. Because no one else filed for the four city commission seats, the current officeholders will have to appoint three members after the election.

Latonia Lakes City Commission, which previously had only three people running for four vacancies - Teresa Cotton, Lisa Gregory and Jeanie T. Salmons - now has a contested race. Regina Ruth said she and her husband, Merlin "Tommy'' Ruth, decided to run for city commission a month after the filing deadline, so they filed as write-in candidates.

Others filing as write-ins in Kenton County were Timothy W. Bailey for Bromley City Council; Robert J. Mueller for Crescent Springs City Council; and Scott Kimberlin, Jackie Dean Miller I, Edward Bessler, John Toebben and Dinah Devoto for Kenton County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Besides Heiert in Crestview, Campbell County write-in candidates are Emma Jean Neises for California City Commission, Allen R. Ramsey Jr. for Bellevue City Council and Scott W. Johnson for Fort Thomas school board.

If a write-in candidate's name is misspelled, but is close, the elections board may give a voter the benefit of the doubt, said Kenton County Clerk Bill Aylor.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com