SARANAC LAKE — There will be three open seats on the Saranac Lake Central School District Board of Education on the ballot for the May 21 school election and budget vote.

The deadline to file a petition to run for one of these seats is April 22, and the three board members currently holding the seats have told the Enterprise they all plan to run for reelection.

For the first time in years, all open positions are for full three-year terms. Each expires in 2027.

Petitions to get on the ballot must have signatures from at least 25 qualified voters in the school district and be turned in to the district clerk before 4 p.m. on April 22. District Clerk Gina Pollock said prospective candidates can stop by her office to get the paperwork between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or contact her at 518-897-1408 or pollockgin@slcs.org.

Incumbent board members Nancy Bernstein, Justin Garwood and Tori Thurston said they each plan to run to keep their seats on the board.

Pollock said Bernstein and Thurston have turned in their paperwork to be on the ballot, and Garwood has been issued his paperwork. Bernstein will be running for her third term. Thurston will be running for her first full term; She was elected to fill out one-year terms in 2022 and 2023. If Garwood registers, he will be running for his second term.

Pollock said after all the candidates are confirmed, she will pick the order they appear on the ballot randomly.

For the first year this year, New York is allowing universal mail-in voting with no excuse. Previously, absentee mail-in voting was only allowed with certain excuses.

Voters can currently request absentee or universal early mail ballots from Pollock at 518-897-1408 or pollockgin@slcs.org. Pollock said voters can request absentee ballots through the Franklin or Essex County boards of elections, too. The completed applications must be returned by 4 p.m. on May 14.

The school board election, proposition and budget vote will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 21 in the district offices near the auditorium at door No. 5 of the High School at 79 Canaras Ave.