School filing deadline: March 28

 There are 42 school board trustee positions open in school districts around the Flathead Valley.

Any one interested in becoming school board trustees has until 5 p.m. March 28 to file a nomination petition and oath of candidacy with his or her respective school district clerks.

Nomination petitions must contain at least five signatures from registered voters living in the district a candidate wants to represent.

Terms range from one to three years. Trustees must live in the districts they represent.

In Bigfork, Columbia Falls and Kalispell, trustees serve either on a high school or elementary board and vote on issues accordingly.

People who miss the March 28 deadline have the option to be write-in candidates, but their names will not be listed on ballots.

Write-in candidates have until 5 p.m. April 11 to file declarations of intent.

Trustee elections are scheduled May 7. If the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of trustee openings per board, districts may cancel elections and elect eligible candidates by acclamation.

Following is a list of available positions:

• Bigfork has two three-year terms open on its elementary board. Qualified trustees must live in the elementary district.

• Cayuse Prairie has one three-year term open.

• Columbia Falls has two three-year terms open on its elementary board. One three-year term on the high school board is also open representing the West Glacier Elementary District.

• Creston has two three-year terms open.

• Deer Park has one three-year term open.

• Evergreen has two three-year terms open.

• Fair-Mont-Egan has one three-year term open.

• Helena Flats has one three-year term open.

• Kalispell has three seats open on the elementary board. Two are three-year terms and one is a one-year position. A three-year high school trustee position also is open to candidates who live in the Kila or Somers-Lakeside districts.

• Kila has two three-year terms open.

• Marion has two three-year terms open.

• Olney-Bissell has three three-year terms open.

• Pleasant Valley has one three-year term and one two-year term open.

• Smith Valley has two three-year terms and one, one-year term open.

• Somers-Lakeside has two three-year terms open.

• Swan River has one three-year term and two, two-year terms open.

• West Glacier has one three-year term and one, one-year term open.

•  West Valley has two three-year terms open.

• Whitefish has two three-year terms open for the elementary board. Also open is a non-voting high school position representing Olney-Bissell.