VALPARAISO | Perhaps the presidential race is stealing all the spotlight, but there has been an unusually small amount of interest so far in the local school board races that will also be on this fall's ballot.

Just three candidates have filed so far for eleven open board seats across the Portage Township, Duneland, East Porter County, Pleasant Township, Washington Township, Morgan Township and Michigan City Area school corporations, said Kathy Kozuszek, a Democrat representative at the county voter registration office.

Kozuszek said the filings are trickling in slower than she has seen in her nine years with office. The filing period began July 23 and will end at noon Aug. 22, she said.

The only candidates who have filed so far are at-large Duneland School Board member Janice Custer, at-large East Porter County School Board member Jill Bibler and Deb Ekdahl, who is seeking the at-large Portage Township seat held by Tom Pappas.

Other open spots include the Jackson Township seat on the Duneland School Board held by Nick Jurasevich, the District 3 Portage Township board seat held by Glenda Owens, and three East Porter County seats including the District 1 Morgan Township seat held by Tim Bucher, the District 2 Pleasant Township seat held by Karen (Werner) Higbie and the District 3 Washington Township seat held by Franklin Dessuit.

Three seats are also up from the Michigan City board that represent portions of Porter County.

Anyone interested in running for an open school board seat must first pick up a nomination form from the voter registration office and collect 10 signatures of support from voters eligible to cast ballots in the race, Kozuszek said. She recommends potential candidates collect more than 10 signatures in case one or more are found to be invalid.

The county voter registration office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located on the lower level of the county administration center.