Election season is coming up and the West Side has 25 open seats up for election. Depending on your interest and where you live, it seems as though there is a service opportunity open to anyone who is a registered voter.

For most open seats, the only requirements are to live within the district you are running for, and to be a registered voter.

The West Side Health Care District has one seat up for election and Terri Jordan, an incumbent, is the only person who has taken out nomination papers to file for election.

The West Kern Water District has three open seats, which are currently occupied by David A. Wells, Charles Henry Comfort and Jesus R. Fernandez.

Taft City School Board’s three incumbents who are up for election are Keith McElmurry, Dee Goodwin, and recently appointed member John C. Montgomery. Montgomery was appointed to fill the vacancy when Kal Vaughn was appointed to the college board.

Taft Union High School has two openings for school board member. Current members up for election are long time members Tom White and Janice Ashley

So far, no one has filed nomination papers for the West Kern Community College board member positions, but it is likely that appointees Billy Don White and Kal Vaughn will seek those seats. White is finishing his first term. Vaughn was appointed just three months ago to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of John Kinney.

The City of Taft has two openings for city council members. The current incumbents are Dave Noerr and Craig W. Noble. Noerr announced that he will seek a second term to finish several projects of interest he has been working on.

Some of the projects Noerr intends to finish are the process of having Sandy Creek delisted as a navigable waterway and habitat, continue to work on Taft’s county-operated airport and get back involved with healthcare issues.

Noerr was elected in 2004, and one of the major issues he has focused on is the city’s need for health care services after Catholic Healthcare West closed Westside Hospital.

Noble has not confirmed if he will be running for re-election as of yet, However former council member Ron Waldrop has taken out nomination papers.

The City of Taft Clerk and City of Taft Treasurer positions are also up for re-election. Current city clerk Louise Hudgens has submitted her intent to run, as has current Treasurer Bill Le Barron.

Along with being a registered voter and living in the city of Taft, parties interested in running for Taft city office must submit at least 20 signatures from registered Taft voters in support of their campaign. Anyone interested in running for city office can file nomination papers at the Civic Center, 209 E. Kern St.

The city of Maricopa also has three city councilmember seats open. Incumbents Virgil Bell, and Gary Mock intend to run for re-elections, as well as appointee Andy Blakely and local construction worker John Crump. City Clerk, Gail Bullard, is also up for re-election. As well as being a Maricopa resident and registered voter, those interested need at least five signatures of support from other Maricopa registered voters.