Although we recently completed a grueling federal and state election year, potential candidates for Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant village trustees should start thinking about whether or not they will be running for election or re-election in the spring.

Dec. 1 is the first day candidates can start circulating nomination papers for offices to be elected April 2, 2013.

In both Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant, there are four offices that will be open for election: three trustees and the village president.

No one has declared their candidacy yet for any of the offices nor taken out any signature papers as of Friday afternoon in either of the villages.

In Sturtevant, incumbents whose seats will be open for election include Village President Steve Jansen and Trustees Chris Wright, John Johnson and Chris Larsen. Trustees are elected at-large for two-year terms.

In Mount Pleasant, incumbents whose seats will be open for election include Village President Jim Majdoch and Trustees Karen Albeck, John Hewitt and Sonny Havn. Majdoch was appointed to the president's seat in September after former President Carolyn Milkie resigned.

The final date to file nomination papers is Jan. 2. The deadline for incumbents to file notifications of non-candidacy is Dec. 21.

As of yet, Mount Pleasant President Jim Majdoch is undecided if he will run for re-election in spring but encourages residents to think about running for office.

“It would be great if more people would step forward and throw their hats in the ring,” he said.