As the deadline to file candidacies for the special districts election in May nears, the races are slow taking shape.

All five seats on the Astoria School Board are up for election.

Brad Pope has filed for re-election to his position 1 seat. Laura Snyder, position 4, and Laurie Choate, position 5, have filed for re-election to their seats. Karla Reinhart and incumbent Martin Dursse will face off for the position 2 seat, to complete an unexpired term. Dursse was appointed after 14-year veteran David Kaspar stepped down. Shawn Helligso, in position 3, has served since being appointed when Bob Johnson stepped down in 2008. He will seek election to the seat, and is unopposed.

The deadline to file for any of these elections is March 19. People elected to these boards generally serve four-year terms, although this year there are elections for people to complete several two-year unexpired terms.

COUNTYWIDE DISTRICTSThere are three seats up for election on the Port of Astoria Board of Commissioners. For position 1, Lawrence Pfund has filed for re-election. In position 2, Floyd Holcom has filed for election to the office he was appointed to. John Dunzer has filed for the position 5 seat held by Dan Hess.

Three seats on the Clatsop Community College board of directors are up for election. Frank Satterwhite, in zone 2, position 3, Stephen Berk, in zone 2, position 2, and Rosemary Baker-Monaghan, in zone 3, position 5 have all filed for re-election.

There are four positions up for election in the Sunset Empire Transportation District. The transportation district provides bus service for Astoria, Warrenton, Hammond, Gearhart, Seaside and Cannon Beach.

Charlotte Mendenhall, in position 2, has filed for re-election. Suzie Conner has not yet filed, but is expected to seek election to the postion 6 seat to which she was previously appointed. Ronald Bline in position 3, and Bob Gannaway in position 4, are seeking re-election.

SCHOOL DISTRICTSSeaside School District (Administrative School District No. 10) will have elections for four directors. David Robinson, zone 2, position 2; Larry Peterson, zone 6, position 2; and Tom Maltman, zone 7, position 1, have all filed for re-election. As yet, no one has filed for the zone 3, position 1 seat.

After a tumultuous year, Jewell School District No. 8 has four of five positions to fill, two of which will complete unexpired terms. Tania Skinner has filed for the position 2 seat on the school board. She was appointed to the position after Teri Greenwood moved away in 2007. No one has filed for the other four open positions yet. Elections for the position 3 and 5 seats are to complete unexpired terms. Kristin Kuhnly was appointed to the position 3 seat after one director resigned and two others were recalled. Jennifer Blanchard holds the position 5 seat, once held by Karl Meier, who was recalled. Position 4, held by Matt Samuelson who was appointed after the recalls of Meier and Samuelson’s aunt, Ann Samuelson.

Three seats are up for election on the Knappa School Board of Directors. Craig Weaver has filed for the position 4 seat held by Troy Lindgren, who has not filed for re-election. Rinda Johansen, in position 5, has filed for re-election. The position 3 seat held by Katherine Shear is up for election.

Four positions are up for elections on the Warrenton-Hammond School District board of directors. Walter Beck has filed for the position 7 seat held by Greg Bosin. James Gannaway holds position 3, Steven Parsons holds position 4 and Willie Nyberg holds position 6. None have filed for re-election.

Candidates for the Clatskanie School District No. 6J file their candidacy in Columbia County. There are three seats available in this election and thus far no one has filed.

OTHER DISTRICTSSunset Empire Park and Recreation District has three director positions available. Jay Barber Jr. has filed for position 1.