Panther Valley and Hazleton school districts are the only two of five in the Times News coverage area that have races for school board next Tuesday.

Coaldale voters cast ballots for the Panther Valley School Board. There are five seats up for election with six candidates. Four of the six are almost assured of a victory as they have both the Democratic and Republican nominations. The four are Wayne V. Gryzik, Anthony Demarco, Gary Porembo and Renee Demelfi.The race for the fifth seat is between Democrat Joseph J. Faenza Jr., a newcomer, and incumbent, Republican Michelle Markovich.HazletonResidents of McAdoo and Kline Township vote in the Hazleton School District where there are five seats up for election with nine candidates. However, five of the nine have both nominations and will be very hard to defeat. The five are Vinnie Zola, Tony Bonomo, Robert Fiume, Jackie Scarcella and Marie Kay.Robert Childs, Thomas J. Chirico, Lori Losen and Casey Herseim are challenging the five. Childs, Chirico and Losen are running as independents and Herseim as no affiliation.Tamaqua AreaIn the Tamaqua Area School District there are five seats to be elected and five candidates have both nominations and are unopposed next week and are assured of four-year terms.They are Wanda Y. Zuber, Daniel E. Schoener, Melanie I.S. Dillman, Larry A. Wittig and Eileen A. Meiser. Long-time board member Robert W. Betz was on the primary ballot and won, but passed away. The board appointed Dillman to finish his term, which runs to December. Dillman was a candidate in the primary.Betz's spot on the November ballot is being filled by Meiser.Blue MountainBlue Mountain has five seats open with five candidates getting both nominations in the primary. The five are Nancy Boyle, Gary R. Gnall, Daniel Lynch, Michael Mistishen and Nikki Stetson.Mahanoy AreaMahanoy Area School District falls in line with Blue Mountain with five seats up and five getting both nominations in the spring. The five are Scott Reichert, Mark B. Hoover, Michelle Z. Vesay, Mary Jo Moss and David Lafko.