“Aspiring politicians or people who simply want to serve their community should take note of the approaching filing period for public offices in Island County.The filing period will be Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 27 at the Island County Auditor’s Office in Coupeville.With more than a month to think about it, prospective candidates have time to emulate big-time politicians by organizing exploratory committees of friends and relatives and lining up donors to help purchase yard signs.With this being an off year election for smaller offices, all offices on the ballot will be nonpartisan. If more than two sign up for any office there will be a primary election in September. The exception is for park and recreation district and cemetery board candidates, for which there is no primary.Here are the positions open on South and Central Whidbey, the person currently holding the office and the term of the office.Langley City Council: Position 1, D. Kendall Murray, 4 years; Position 2, J.D. Allderdice, 3 years.Fire Protection District 3: Position 2, Bill Benjamin, 6 years.Port of South Whidbey: District 3, Jan Smith, 6 years.South Whidbey Parks and Recreation: Position 2, Curt Gordon, 4 years; Position 3, Jim Porter, 4 years; Position 5, Dave Haworth, 4 years.South Whidbey School District: District 3, Wendy Alexander, 4 years; District 4, Jim Adsley, 4 years.Public Hospital District: District 4, Roger Case, 6 years; District 3, Barbara Saugen, 6 years.Port of Coupeville: District 2, Don Sherman, 6 years.Coupeville School District: District 3, Cecil Stuurmans, 4 years; District 5, Jackie Henderson, 4 years.Town of Coupeville: Position 4, F.E. Tippets, 4 years; Position 5, P. Williamson, 4 years.For those interested in Oak Harbor politics, city council seats held by Lenora O’Connell-Balda, Sheilah Crider, John LaFond, Richard Davis and Danny Paggao are up for election this year.In the smaller water and sewer districts, here are the positions open and who presently fills them (some are vacant):Bayview Beach Water District: Position 2, R.J. Glennen; Position 4, Dave Haworth; and Wilbur Cochran (position uncertain).Freeland Water District: Position 1, Andy Pringle, Jr.Holmes Harbor Sewer District: Position 3, Position 4, Position 5, Don Wills.Lagoon Point Water District: Position 2, James Connors.Ledgewood Beach Water District: Position 2, Janice Martin.Saratoga Water District: Position 3, Roy Bingman.Scatchet Head Water District: Position 2, David Morphew.Admiral’s Cove Water District: Position 1, Adel Saba; Position 2, Howard Duncan.Candidates may file declarations of candidacy by mail no sooner than Monday, July 9, or wait for the walk-in filing period. There may be public disclosure reports and campaign filing requirements, depending on the office. According to Loann Gulick, Island County election supervisor, in general districts with fewer than 1,000 registered voters and cemetery districts are exempt from all other reporting after filing declarations of candidacy.Anyone with questions can stop by the office of Island County Auditor Suzanne Sinclair in the Courthouse, or call the Auditor’s Office at 321-5111 from South Whidbey, or 360-679-7366 elsewhere on Whidbey Island. “