Plans are being finalized for the elections of the new public super-school board which will encompass the entire southeast area of Saskatchewan as of Jan. 1, 2006, with the elections to take place June 15.

The deadline for nominations for the new school board close at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18; if a second call is needed, the deadline will be June 2, said Bruce Kwochka, secretary-treasurer of Sunrise School Division.

The new board will include Sunrise and South Central School Divisions in the Weyburn area, and the secretary-treasurers throughout the southeast will act as associate returning officers for the election, including Kwochka, Christine Mazenc of South Central, Holly McFadden of Estevan and Terry Lee of Arcola.

The head returning officer is Laurel St. Onge of Moosomin.

The call for nominations will be advertised 10 days before nomination day, including maps of the new school division. The new board will consist of two trustees each from Weyburn and Estevan, and six trustees for the balance of the southeast area.

The westernmost subdivision, No. 6, takes in Ogema, Pangman, Yellow Grass, Radville, Oungre, Gladmar, and Lake Alma. Subdivision 5 includes Fillmore, Creelman, Stoughton, Forget, Griffin, Midale and the area down to the U.S. border.

The elections will only be held if required, with polling stations initially to be located in those communities that have schools.

Candidates need to be over 18 and Canadian citizens, and don't have to necessarily live in the subdivision to run, but do have to have lived in the southeast board area for at least six months.