BELFAST - With just over two weeks remaining for candidates to file nomination papers, at least one of the three open seats in city government will be contested and a contest is shaping up for two vacant school board seats.

Mayor Walter Ash returned papers for a re-election bid. Ash is currently serving his third two-year term. Jim O’Connor, who challenged Ash unsuccessfully in 2011 has also returned nomination papers. No other potential candidates have taken out papers for the mayor’s seat.

City Council seats in Wards 3 and 4 will be up for election in November. Current councilors Eric Sanders and Mike Hurley have each taken out papers for re-election. As of August 15, neither had returned them and no other potential challengers had taken out papers in either ward.

Two seats on the Regional School Unit 20 board of directors will be up for grabs in November. As of Thursday, three potential candidates — Christopher Hyk, Charles Grey and Caitlyn Hills — had taken out nomination papers. Only Hills had returned papers.

The city has also accepted nominations for wardens and ward clerks. 

Nomination papers for all seats are due by Aug. 30 at 5 p.m.

Candidates for mayor must collect a minimum of 75 and a maximum of 125 signatures from registered Belfast voters. Candidates for all other positions must get a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 100.

Elections for municipal positions will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Ethan Andrews can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com