WESTSIDE — Several positions on the Gravette and Decatur School Boards, and all the positions on the Gentry School Board, are up for election this October.

Today, June 22, is the first day candidates can begin circulating petitions for the upcoming elections. Candidates must gather 20 signatures from qualified voters living in their school district and zone before the filing period closes at noon on July 22.

Two positions, those currently held by Jim Singleton and Marion Harris, are up for election in Gravette. The Gravette School District does not have zones and school board members can be elected from anywhere in the district.

The Decatur School Board also has two positions up for election in zones 1 and 2. They are currently held by Justin Thompson and Kevin Smith, respectively.

When the Arkansas State Board of Education handed control back to the locally elected school board last October, new members drew lots for staggered terms so not all positions would come up for election at the same time. Thompson drew the 1-year term.

Smith was not elected, but appointed to his position. Members appointedto the board serve until the next election.

All seven school board positions in Gentry are up for election because zone lines have been redrawn due to the 2010 census results. The Gentry School District is divided into five zones with two more members at large that can be elected from anywhere in the district.

A map of the new zones is available on the Gentry school Web site www.gentrypioneers.com.

According to the Benton County Clerk’s Office, potential candidates must fulfill the following requirements.

◊Be a qualified voter.

◊Be a resident of the district and respective electoral zone, if candidates are elected from zones.

◊File a petition containing 20 signatures of qualified registered voters oftheir district and zone.

◊Complete and file an Affidavit of Eligibility, in person at the County Clerk’s Office.

◊Complete and file a Political Practices Pledge, in person at the County Clerk’s Office.

Potential candidates can file during a one week period from Friday, July 15 until noon, Friday, July 22. Filing packets can be picked up at each of the school district’s administration offices or at one of the three county clerk’s offices located in Bentonville, Rogers and Siloam Springs.

School News, Pages 16 on 06/22/2011