Schools are gearing up for elections and districts are seeking people to serve on school boards.

The filing deadline is March 26.

Candidates may obtain and file nomination petitions and candidacy forms at their respective school districts. Terms range from one to three years.

Prospective candidates must be registered voters living for at least a year in the school district they wish to serve.

Trustee elections will be May 5. If the number of candidates after April 10 is equal to or less than the number of openings on a school board, districts may cancel elections and qualified candidates will be seated by acclamation.

Serving on a school board is a volunteer position. School board members are involved with making decisions that impact the way a district operates, including setting achievement goals, adopting policies and annual budgets, managing the collective bargaining process and holding schools accountable.

In Bigfork, Columbia Falls and Kalispell, trustees represent either the elementary or high school district. Elementary trustees vote on elementary and high school issues. High school trustees vote only on high school issues.

Following is a list of openings on each board and locations to obtain and file necessary paperwork:

 Bigfork has two three-year terms on the elementary district up for election. One of the seats will represent Swan River School. Applications may be obtained and filed at the district office, 600 Commerce St., Bigfork. For more information call 837-7402.

 Cayuse Prairie also has two three-year terms open. Paperwork may be obtained and filed at the district clerk’s office, 897 Lake Blaine Road. For more information call 756-4560 extension 11.

 Columbia Falls has two trustee positions up for election. Both are three-year terms. Paperwork may be picked up and filed at 501 Sixth Ave. W., Columbia Falls. For more information call 892-6550.

 Creston has a three-year term and a one-year term available. Information may be filed and obtained at the school office, 4495 Montana 35. For more information call 755-2859.

 There are two seats open with three-year terms on the Deer Park School Board. Paperwork may be picked up and filed at the school, 2105 Middle Road. For more information call 892-5388.

 One three-year term is open on the Evergreen School Board. Applications may be obtained and filed at the district office, 18 W. Evergreen Dr. For more information call 751-1111, extension 12.

 There are three positions available on the Fair-Mont-Egan School Board for one-year, two-year and three-year terms. Paperwork may be picked up and filed at the school, 797 Fairmont Road. For more information call 755-2038.

 Helena Flats has two trustee seats open, each for three-year terms. Candidates wishing to pick up necessary paperwork and file for election may do so at the district office, 1000 Helena Flats Road. For more information call 257-2301 or email tdecker@helenaflats.k12.mt.us.

 There are five openings on Kalispell Public Schools Board. Three seats, each three-year terms, are in the elementary district. There is also one seat in the elementary district for a two-year term. For the high school district, one three-year term is available. This candidate will represent Cayuse Prairie, Creston, Deer Park and Fair-Mont-Egan. Paperwork may be obtained and submitted at 233 First Ave. E. in  Kalispell. For more information call 751-3412.

 Kila has four positions open. One seat is for a three-year term. Two seats are for one-year terms. The other seat is for a two-year term. Paperwork may be obtained and filed at 395 Kila Rd. For more information call 257-2428.

 There are three seats open on the Marion School District Board. Two seats are for three-year terms and one seat is for a one-year term. Applications may be obtained and filed at the school, 205 Gopher Lane in Marion. For more information call 854-2333.

 Olney-Bissell has two seats with three-year terms up for election. Applications may be obtained and submitted to the school, 5955 Farm to Market Road. For more information call 862-2828.

 A three-year and a two-year term are available at Pleasant Valley. Paperwork may be picked up and filed at the school, 7975 Pleasant Valley Road. For more information call 858-2343.

 Smith Valley School has two three-year terms up for election. Applications may be picked up and submitted at the office located at 2901 U.S. 2 West. Paperwork should be returned to the district clerk by 4:30 p.m. March 26. For more information call 756-4535.

 Two trustee positions with three-year terms are open on Somers-Lakeside School District Board. Applications may be obtained from, and submitted to the district clerk at 315 School Addition Road in Somers. For more information call 857-3661.

 Swan River also has two seats open, each for three-year terms. Applications and petition forms may be picked up and filed at the school, 1205 Swan Highway. For more information call 837-4528.

 One, position with a three-year term is open at West Glacier. Applications may be picked up and filed at 160 Old River Bridge Road. For more information call 888-5312.

 West Valley has two trustee seats up for election. Each seat is for a three-year term. Filing paperwork may be picked up and filed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., weekdays at the school at 2290 Farm to Market Road. For more information call 755-7239.

 There are two three-year terms open on the Whitefish School Board. Nominating petitions are available in the district office, 600 E. Second St., Whitefish. Paperwork should be turned in to the district clerk by noon March 26. For more information call 862-8643.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.