The time has once again come to cull the heard of candidates wishing to become local government representatives throughout the county as the Aug. 18 primary creeps closer and currently sits a mere 25 days away.

Although resident ballots have not been mailed yet, overseas and military ballots went out July 17 and voter registration by mail and online closed July 20. Resident ballots will be available July 29 and will be mailed July 31.

Before the primary takes place, the first day applications for mail ballots for the Nov. 3 general election will be accepted is Aug. 5 and the last day of in-person registration for voters not currently registered in the state is Aug. 10.

In Silverdale and Central Kitsap, three school board positions are being contested along with the commissioner Position 1 slot for water district 16.

Randy Biegenwald and Michael Sechrest are seeking the Water District No. 16 Commissioner Position 1.

The three positions in the Central Kitsap School District that will be decided in the upcoming election are District one incumbent Bruce J. Richards, is running against Regina “Raye” Hill; The District 2 director will be either Mark Gaines or Robert MacDermid; and the district 5 spot will be given to Eric Greene, Richard Romero or Jim Zimny.

Voter turnout for the 2008 primary election statewide was 37 percent less than the general election, according to data released on the Kitsap County government Web site, www.kitsapgov.com., but it was the largest percentage in the last five years.