Six candidates threw their hats in the ring on the first two days to file for positions on the city council, school board and water board, Monday, Feb. 6.

The filing period ends March 5. Candidates may pick up packets at the respective administrative offices of each entity.

Early voting will be April 30 through May 8, and Election Day is May 12.

All but one incumbent on the city council, school district or water district board of directors will seek re-election.

Also on the ballot will be several charter amendments being proposed by the city as well as a referendum on a change to the Texas Coastal Management Plan that as it stands now would allow certain kinds of vending on the beach. School board Jim Brown has filed for Place 1 held by Margaret Price.

Price is president of the Port Aransas ISD Board of Trustees, and is stepping down.

Janice Roberts in Place 2, also filed for election.

Roberts was appointed to Place 2, which was vacated by the resignation in August of Chuck Borders after he was re-elected in May. Roberts is seeking election to the remaining two years of the term.

The other incumbent, Ann Appling in Place 7, has said she will seek another term, but had not filed at press time.

Trustees do not have term limits, and terms are for three years. City Council

All incumbents on the city council whose terms are expiring have filed.

Place 2 Councilman John Price, Place 4 Councilwoman Glenda Balentine, Place 6 Councilman Steve Lanoux and Mayor Keith McMullin filed for re-election either Monday or Tuesday.

McMullen, Price and Lanoux are completing their first terms, and Balentine is completing her second term.

The city charter limits the number of consecutive terms a council member or mayor may serve to three two-year terms. Water board

None of the incumbent directors -- Russ Miget, Ed Reed and Suzette Freeman – had filed at press time for re-election to their at-large positions on the Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District No. 4 board of directors. All have said they will.

Water board directors are not subject to term limits. Statements

The South Jetty offers candidates to submit statements, accompanied by a photo, announcing their candidacy free of charge.

Candidates should include their qualifications and reasons for seeking office in the statements.

Deadline for turning in statements is noon Monday each week through March 12. Statements submitted after noon on March 12 may be published as paid advertising in subsequent week’s editions if the candidate chooses.

Statements must be typewritten in upper and lower case, and be limited to approximately 700 words. Handwritten statements and those written in all capital letters will not be accepted.

E- mail statements to southjetty@centurytel.net. Candidates without access to e-mail may mail statements to the South Jetty at P.O. Box 1117, Port Aransas, TX 78373, or deliver them to the newspaper office, 141 W. Cotter Ave.

Photos of the candidates my be submitted or they may have one taken at the South Jetty office, 141 W. Cotter. Candidates’ Night

The 39th annual Candidates’ Night sponsored by the South Jetty for candidates in contested races only will be held Thursday, April 26.

Participation in the event must be confirmed when candidates submit their statements or, for those declining the invitation to submit their statements, at the time they file for office.

Candidates who do not confirm participation will not be allowed to participate in the forum designed to acquaint voters with the candidates’ positions on specific issues.

The format and other details of Candidates’ Night will be announced at a later date.