THE NOMINATION PERIOD for the fall Nov. 8 local elections starts on Monday.

As of tomorrow, they’re off and running. Races for city council and school board seats in Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster will begin as the filing period for nomination papers commences on Monday and closes on Friday, Aug. 12 at 5 p.m.

In Garden Grove, the council election will make history, as the council has been expanded to seven seats (six council members and the mayor), with council members chosen by district. On the ballot on Nov. 8 will be Districts 2, 3, 5 and 6, as well as the mayor’s post, which is contested citywide.

Candidates for the council seats must reside in the district in which they are running.

In Huntington Beach, three seats on the council will be up to voters, those now held by Mayor Jim Katapodis and council members Dave Sullivan and Jill Hardy. Voters will also cast ballots for city attorney and city treasurer.

At Monday’s meeting of the city council, a proposal to put a ballot measure before voters on the disposition of the old Rodgers Senior Center will be considered.

Westminster’s election will include a vote on a proposed 1 percent transactions and use tax. Seats on the council to be contested are now held by Sergio Contreras, Diana Carey and Tyler Diep.

Area school districts will also be holding elections for their governing boards, but in three public school systems there will be noteworthy aspects to the balloting. In the Garden Grove Unified School District, board members will for the first time be elected by district. Current board members whose term will expire this year are George West, Terri Rocco and Linda Reed.

In the Westminster School District, a ballot measure calling for a $76 million bond issue will also be on the fall Nov. 8 ballot, in addition to election of the trustees. School trustees whose terms will be up are Amy Walsh and Jamison Power.

Voters in the Ocean View School District will also be called upon to decide on a proposed $169 million bond issue. Trustee terms expiring are now held by Debbie Cotton and Gina Taylor-Tarvin.

In the Huntington Beach Union High School District, terms will expire for Susan Henry and Michael Simons. For the Huntington Beach City School District, seats now held by Brian Rechsteiner and Bridget Kaub will be contested. Also, at Tuesday’s meeting of the HBCSD Board of Trustees, the feasibility of a local “school improvement measure” will be discussed.