LA GRANDE — Action on the school board election front in Union County is set to heat up this spring based on the number of candidates who met the Thursday, March 16, deadline for the election on Tuesday, May 16.

A total of 18 school board seats are up for election and all have at least one candidate — except Position 1 on the Elgin School Board, which has no candidates.

Following is a look at the filings for school board positions up for election in Union County.

La Grande School Board

Eight candidates filed for four open school board positions, creating contested races for three seats. Zone 3 encompasses all of the area within the city limits of La Grande. Zone 2 covers portions of La Grande and Island City.

• Zone 2, Position 2 — Incumbent Jacob Hanson filed for reelection.

• Zone 3, Position 3 — Three candidates, Steve Boe, Michelle Perry and Taylor Scroggins, filed to run. The incumbent, Joe Justice, is not running for reelection.

• Zone 3, Position 6 — Two candidates filed for the position, Robin Jolin and Isaac Insko. The incumbent, Robin Maille, who is completing her ninth year on the board, did not file for reelection.

• Zone 3, Position 7 — Incumbent Merle Comfort filed for reelection. Comfort will be challenged by Tyler Dubsky.

Cove School Board

Positions 2 and 5 are up for election and one candidate has filed for each.

• Position 2 — Brandon Mahon was the lone candidate. Steve McLean, the incumbent, is not running for reelection.

• Position 5 — Incumbent Hannah Johnson filed for reelection.

Elgin School Board

Four seats are up for election. One position lacks candidates, two are uncontested, and the final seat has two candidates.

• Position 1 — No candidates filed for the berth. The incumbent, Jessica Knight, did not file.

• Position 2 — Ellianna Fincher was the lone candidate to file. Teena Banducci, the incumbent, did not file.

• Position 4 — Khirenda Johnson filed for the seat. The incumbent, Rod Spikes, is not running for reelection.

• Position 5 — Mike Addington and Kit Evans filed for the position. Lara Moore, the incumbent, is not running for reelection.

Imbler School Board

The incumbent filed for each of the two open positions.

• Position 1 — Ken Patterson

• Position 3 — Kaiger Braseth

North Powder School Board

Three seats are up for election, and all incumbents are running unopposed.

• Position 3 — Colby Thompson

• Position 4 — Lukus Gray

• Position 5 — Justin Bingham

Union School Board

Three candidates, all incumbents, filed for the three seats up for election.

• Position 2 — Jocelyn Jones

• Position 4 — Nick Shaffer

• Position 5 — Macey Clark