If you have ever wanted to get involved in municipal government, representing your community by seeking elected office, or if you already do and are looking to be re-elected, it is nearly nomination time.

Election Day Nov. 2 may seem somewhat distant, but in Saco, nomination petitions for three City Council seats and four School Board seats, along with election wardens and ward clerks, become available at the City Clerk’s Office on July 26.

In Biddeford, nomination papers for mayor, City Council and School Committee will be available Aug. 2. In Biddeford, the mayor, all nine council seats, all seven School Committee seats, wardens and ward clerks are elected for two-year terms. Each of the city’s seven wards elects a councilor; and there are two at-large council seats — voters from across the city may cast ballots in the at-large races. Candidates for the seven School Committee seats run and serve at- large. Candidates for mayor must submit signatures of 125 registered voters to be nominated for the ballot; council candidates must gather a minimum of 25 signatures of registered voters from their wards and candidates running for at- large council seats must have a minimum of 50 signatures of registered voters to secure a place on the ballot. School Committee candidates must gather at least 25 signatures of registered voters for inclusion on the ballot. Ward clerks and wardens must gather 20 signatures of voters registered in their ward.

Biddeford incumbents are Mayor Alan Casavant; Councilors, Ward 1 William Emhiser; Ward 2, John McCurry; Ward 3, Stephen St. Cyr; Ward 4, Ashanti Dwight Williams; Ward 5, Amy Clearwater; Ward 6, Norman Belanger, and Ward 7, Michael Ready, along with Councilors At-Large, Marc Lessard and Doris Ortiz. School Committee incumbents are Nathan Bean, Dominic Deschambault, Randy Forcier, Amy Grohman, Rebecca Henry, Karen Ruel and Lisa Vadnais.

All Biddeford nomination papers are due in the City Clerk’s Office no later than 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2

In Saco, City Council seats in wards 1, 3 and 6 are available, along with School Board seats in wards 1, 3, 5 and 7; – both City Council and School Board terms are three years. Wardens and ward clerk positions in all seven wards are available for two-year terms.

Incumbents on the Saco City Council are: Ward 1, Marchall Archer; Ward 3, Joseph Gunn; and Ward 6, Jodi MacPhail. School Board incumbents are: Ward 1, Christina Shea; Ward 3, Jeff Richard; Ward 5, Arthur Tardiff; and Ward 7, Beth Johnston.

A candidate for nomination to any of the available Saco elective offices must file nomination petitions signed by 35 registered voters from the ward in which they live. In Saco, the deadline to turn in nomination petitions is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3.

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