Those who dream of a life in local politics or just have ideas about making their community a better place, now is the time to start thinking about running for office. It may be an off-year in national politics, but plenty of important positions will appear on the Island County ballot this fall. The filing period is coming up fast. The elections filing week, when candidates are required to file declarations of candidacy for the 2009 election, runs from Monday, June 1 to Friday, June 5.

It’s hard to predict which contests will be the hottest this year, but keep an eye on the Oak Harbor City Council. Four of the seven positions will be on the ballot, which means the election could completely change the dynamics of the council. Councilman Eric Gerber isn’t running again, so there’s an opportunity for someone new to city politics to get in. Perhaps someone young like Gerber.

Some people are pleased with the current spirit of unity among the city’s policymakers, especially after years of in-fighting on the former council. Others feel that things need to get shaken up, that the current council members are too docile and compliant with the administration. Some folks grumble that decisions are being made in standing committees, which take place when most people are working, and that council meetings are just theater. Hopefully, the folks who are making the grumbling sounds will step up and toss their hats in the ring.

The election for three hospital commissioner positions could also be exciting following all the controversy last year. Whidbey General Hospital’s medical executive committee walloped the board with a vote of no confidence last year after the hospital CEO was ousted.

It’s also a challenging time for school districts, with budget problems and the possibility of a new standardized test on the horizon. Maybe it’s time for some new blood. Two positions on the Oak Harbor school board and three positions on the Coupeville school board will be on the ballot.

In Coupeville, two positions are up for reelection and one of the incumbents won’t be running this time around. It’s a perfect time for residents critical of the town’s supposedly weak protection of historical structures to take part in the decision making.

Other less glamorous, but important, positions will be on the ballot. There are open seats in fire districts, water districts, cemetery districts, parks districts and even a sewer district. These boards are a good way to jump into local politics, plus they can be surprisingly interesting.