HUNTINGTON BEACH : Candidates Are Few in School Contests

School board races are hurting for candidates, particularly in the Huntington Beach City School District.

Just two candidates have filed official papers for the November election. They are educator Catherine G. McGough and Brian Rechsteiner. If no one else comes forward before today’s 5 p.m. deadline, officials will be forced to call off the election altogether and appoint McGough and Rechsteiner.

Gary Nelson, an elementary district trustee since 1979, and Karen O’Bric, who joined the board four years later, are not seeking reelection.

Huntington Beach resident Dirk Voss, 26, has taken out papers in both the Huntington Elementary and Huntington Beach Union High School districts.

However, he said Tuesday that he would opt for an unexpired two-year term on the high school board rather than seek a position on the elementary school board. Candidates are prohibited from serving on two school boards at the same time.

In the high school district, incumbent Charmayne Bohman is leaving her school post after five years and will run for Westminster City Council.

Meanwhile, in the Ocean View School District, Trustee Sheila Marcus will bow out after 13 years “to make room for new faces.”

Candidates seeking the two full-term seats in Ocean View are Nancy Stuever, a nurse educator; Ian C. Harrison; incumbent Carolyn Hunt and businessman Roger Harvey.

In the high school district, candidates include incumbents Michael H. Simons and Bonnie J. Bruce. Challenger Charles Wilkins, a public relations official, has also filed.

Two other potential candidates, Kathleen M. Kellehar and Charles M. Drees, took out nomination papers in July but had not filed them with the registrar of voters office by Tuesday.

Filing deadlines were extended in all three districts.