MAYOR, COUNCIL SEATS UP FOR GRABS.

Byline: Daily News

PALMDALE - Palmdale voters will go to the polls Tuesday to elect a mayor and two council members, pick school board members and vote on two city ballot measures and a school bond.

For the rest of the Antelope Valley, voters will pick 28 board members in eight school districts and the Antelope Valley Community College District.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents who do not know their polling places may call the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's Office at [phone] or log on to the registrar's Web site at lavote.net.

In Palmdale, Measure I asks voters if the mayor and council members should be limited to eight years in office. Measure J would establish districts for electing council members. Both measures need a majority of votes to pass.

In the Palmdale School District, Measure W authorizes $25 million in bonds to build two new schools and refurbish older ones. If it passes, it would add about $30 a year in taxes to a typical home. The measure needs 55 percent of the votes to win.

An $81 million bond measure failed to pass in 1996 and 1997 when the minimum necessary vote was two-thirds. That measure received 63.7 percent of the vote in 1996 and 54.5 percent in 1997.

In the Palmdale School District board race, three seats are sought by trustee Sheldon Epstein and 10 challengers: Shawny Barcelona, Robert ``Bo'' Bynum, Sandy Corrales, Tim Dura, Kathleen Edwards, Stanley Faulk, Terry Maness, Ken Meichtry, Tim Murphy and Anthonette Vidal.

Also on the Palmdale ballot, Mayor Jim Ledford is being challenged by Drew Angel, Desmond Kester and Rick Norris.

Palmdale council members Rod Penner and Jim Root face challenges from Garry Cope, Richard Loa, Claudette Roberts and Celeste Eckley.

For the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District, three seats are being sought by board members Martin Barofsky, Steven D. Harbeson and Mark S. Nielsen and challenger Fred E. Heslep.

For the Antelope Valley Community College, three seats are being sought by trustees Michael Adams and Betty Wienke, appointed trustee Steve Buffalo and challengers Dave E. Fly, Richard Skidmore, Alan P. Wallace, and Gary Michael Williams.

An unexpired college board term ending in December 2003 is being sought by Michael G. Brown, Jason Gabriel Gonella and Jack D. Seefus.

For the Antelope Valley Union High School District, voters can choose between board members Brett Nelson and Cheryl Lundgren and challengers Dino Vidal, Calvin H.A. Robinson, Richard L. Cook, James T. Lott and Albert Beattie Sr. for three seats.

In the Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union School District, board member Lola J. Skelton Mantooth and challengers Brian Christian, Chester Wilcox and Thomas Sawhill are running for three seats.

In Keppel Union School District, incumbents R. Michael Dutton and Maxine R. Griffin are being challenged by Jeff S. Sauer and Nicholas Trataris.

In the Lancaster School District, board members Keith Giles, Gregory A. Tepe and Richard White are challenged by Bill A. Lindoff and Judy Swanson.

In the Westside Union School District, three board seats are sought by trustee Christine LeBeau and eight challengers: James Brink, Alex ``Alejandra'' Dunkel, Michael D. Gudim, Matthew Jones, Robin Kessler, Donna M. Margherita, Marty G. Meeden, and Ralph M. Rodriguez.

In the Wilsona School District, trustees Patricia Greene and Emma G. Montesdeoca are challenged by Christina Behringer, Sean Michael Dodge, Benita D. Hunt, Christopher Gerard Lewis, Mark Lucas and Dolores F. Myrie for three seats.

In the Southern Kern Unified School District, none of the three incumbents is seeking re-election. Their seats are being sought by Daniel Blodgett, Jean Brazeal, Mario Gutierrez, Jean Marie Harris, Roger Hensley, Bill Hughes, Ariella Kapelner, James J.D. Moshier, Ralph Nelson, Tamye K. Pearman, Steven Russell, Timothy ``T.J.'' Shank Jr. and Robert Vincelette Jr.

Four water districts have elections on the ballot in parts of the valley.

In the Palmdale Water District, board member Ronald D. Cunningham is being challenged for the Division 2 seat by Michael E. O'Connor, Tom Jones and Carol A. Stanford. Board member Nolan D. Negaard is running unchallenged for the Division 5 seat.

In the Green Valley County Water District, three seats are being sought by board member Gordon Jacks and challengers Aaron D. Anderson, Ted J. Green, Jeane Sargent and Jay W. Winters.

In the Littlerock Creek Irrigation District, Bruce Burger is challenging incumbents Charles E. Yingst, Barbara Hogan and Frances Young.

In the Quartz Hill Water District, Charles Edward Ross is challenging incumbents Michael E. Martin, William J. Meyer and Thomas L. Stevenson.

In Kern County, East Kern Airport District board members William Valpey and J. Jo Ann Painter are facing Richard Valpey, William' Walker, Bill Seibert and Thomas Ross.