Election season is upon Monterey County

Oh yes, we're going to have elections this year. And judging by the excitement already in the air, they're going to be more exciting than ever.

Deadline for candidates to file their paperwork is Aug. 9, but many have already announced their plans. At MPUSD, Trustees Helen Rucker and Regena Lauterbach already said they're not running, so there will be brand new trustees in those spots. Bettye Lusk will run for re-election, and I'll be interesting to see if anybody steps up to challenge her. Tom Jennings will have to run if he wants to keep his seat.

The list goes on and on. At the Alisal Union School District, where some constituents are not happy with decisions being made at the top, Lilia Cortez-Garza will have at least one challenger. Also up for re-election are Sarah Garcia and José Castañeda -- who's facing a lawsuit from the City of Salinas to give up his school board seat.

The office of Monterey County Elections will host a candidate's seminar from 9 to 11 a.m. this Saturday. So if you're interested, here's your chance. You can find more info here.