The race to fill positions on area city councils and school boards got off to a quick start last week as a number of candidates filed to put their name on the May 5 ballot.

The filing period for council and school board elections began Jan. 17 and runs through Feb. 16.　

Council incumbents get in the race

Grapevine: William D. Tate is seeking a 15th term as mayor. The local attorney has served as mayor of Grapevine for 42 years. He was first elected to the City Council in 1972 and ran for mayor the next year. He served from 1973 to 1985. He won again in 1988 and has served ever since.

Place 2 incumbent Sharron Spencer is seeking a 12th term on the Grapevine City Council. She was first elected in 1985 and has served ever since. Spencer has retired from American Airlines and as vice president for Spencer Engineering, Inc.

Place 1 incumbent Paul Slechta is seeking a second term on the council. The owner of Panda Embroidery in Grapevine was first elected in 2015.

Hurst: Long-time City Councilman Henry Wilson is running for mayor of Hurst. The retired engineer was first elected to the City Council in 1985 and has most recently served as mayor pro tem.

Three challengers are vying for Place 4 and 7 on the council. Jessica Martin, a homemaker, filed to run for Place 4.

Running for Place 7 are Cynthia Shepard, who retired from American Airlines, and Chad Householder, a fleet administrator.

Southlake: The mayor’s seat and Place 1 are up for election in Southlake this year.

Place 1 Incumbent Shawn McCaskill has filed for a second term. McCaskill is the current deputy mayor pro tem and was first elected to the council in 2015. The 46-year-old works as an attorney.

School board seats up for grabs

Carroll school district: Places 4, 5 and 7 are on the ballot.

Place 4 incumbent Read Ballew announced he would not seek re-election. Ballew has served on the board since 2009.

Filing for the Place 4 seats are Matt Bryant, a 47-year-old resident who works in real estate; Eric W. Lannen, 52, who works in human resources; and Jordan Dudley, a 47-year-old attorney and CPA.

In Places 5 and 7, incumbents Danny Gilpin, 49; and Dave Almand, 50, filed for re-election. Almand was appointed to the board in October to fill the Place 7 vacancy left by Christopher Archer when Archer won a seat on the Southlake City Council. The seat will be up for one year, then goes back to a three year term in 2019.

Grapevine-Colleyville school district: Place 1 and 2 incumbents have filed to retain their board seats.

Mindy McClure, 47, is seeking a second term for Place 1. Running for Place 2 again is Becky St. John, 48. St. John has been a board member since 2009.