Every candidate for Dane County Board this spring deserves a big thank you for giving voters a choice on Tuesday's ballot.

Yet too many board seats — more than half — remain uncontested.

That means most Dane County voters will have no meaningful say in who represents them on the County Board — despite 17 contested races.

The predicament is only more evidence that Dane County needs to shrink its gigantic board. That's the easiest and best way to increase competition for seats.

The bloated board, with 37 seats, is one of the five largest in the nation out of more than 3,000.

The good news is that more board members are finally acknowledging that a smaller board makes sense.

Sup. Ruth Ann Schoer, for example, agreed during a recent meeting with the State Journal editorial board that the size of the board should be reduced after the 2010 census. That's when county officials must redraw district boundaries to reflect changing populations. After the 2000 census, the board reduced its size by a measly two seats.

Schoer agreed the board is "shrinking painfully slowly." She said reducing the board size from 37 to something like 10 seats would be going too far. But she quickly added: "We could sure take a chunk out, so long as we can make districts with similar needs."

Unfortunately, Schoer is planning to retire in 2010. So she may not be around for the crucial debate on this important issue. Still, any movement by this lumbering board is welcome.

Reducing Dane County's 37-member board would increase cooperation, improve efficiency and save taxpayers' money. It also would raise the profile and power of individual supervisors to effect change for their constituents.

Thanks again to all of the candidates who are on Tuesday's ballot. Nonetheless, the public deserves more choice — something a reasonably-sized board would provide.