LYNWOOD — The filing period for residents seeking to run for seats on the Lynwood school board and the City Council opened Monday. The deadline to file is Aug. 7 at 5 p.m. unless an incumbent chooses not to seek re-election. In that case, the filing period will be extended five additional days for challengers only. The election is Nov. 3.

Petitions for individuals seeking a seat on the City Council will need to include 30 signatures from registered voters in the city.

Nomination papers are currently available at the city clerk’s office. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, three challengers and two City Council incumbents had taken out papers.

Mayor Maria Santillan and Jim Morton have said that they will be seeking re-election. Santillan is seeking her second full term on the council after being elected to replace former Councilman Paul Richards in 2003 when he was recalled from office. She was elected to a full term in 2005.

Morton was elected to the council in the September 200 recall election but was defeated six weeks later in the regular municipal election. However, when Tony Martinez resigned his council seat in early 2008, Morton was appointed to replace him.

Councilman Ramon Rodriguez said he will seek re-election and will take out nomination papers next week.

The three challengers who have taken out nomination papers are Jose Mendoza, Edwin Jacinto and Sylvia Ortiz.

Santillan said she is expecting at least 10 to 12 candidates to come forward by the Aug. 7 deadline.

School board incumbents Rachel Chavez and Alfonso Morales both said they will be seeking re-election. As of Wednesday, no one had taken out nomination papers for the school board.

Marcia Ventura, a spokesperson for the county Registrar-Recorder’s Office in Norwalk, said it is too early to tell how busy election season is going to be.

“Especially since the filing period just opened. No one is on the file list for Lynwood Unified yet, but there is still a lot of time and a lot of people wait until the last minute.”

Several individuals have shown interest in pulling papers for the school board, but have said they are still undecided.