Kathy Tingelstad, a former state legislator who was appointed to the Anoka-Hennepin school board in January, is the lone incumbent on the board facing an election challenge this year.

Patrick Murray, the recently retired principal of Johnson Elementary School in Coon Rapids, and Jeff Simon, also of Coon Rapids, are running for the seat in the Nov. 3 election. The candidate filing period ended Sept. 8.

Tingelstad, of Andover, was in the news early last year when she was one of six Republican legislators who voted to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a $6.6 billion state transportation bill. She did not seek reelection that November after 12 years in the Legislature. She was appointed to the school board to replace Jerry Newton, who vacated that position after he was elected to Tingelstad's former House seat. She has a son in the school district.

"I've really enjoyed my year," said Tingelstad, a program and budget manager in community health and environmental services for Anoka County. "Because I was appointed, I'm not surprised that there is competition for this seat. It's as close to an open seat as there is."

Murray, a principal for 21 years and a teacher 14 years before that, says he has always been "a student advocate. I want to stay involved."

Simon, a private businessman, says he has an educational background and is a former guidance counselor. He has two children in district schools.

Two incumbent school board members, John Hoffman and Michael Sullivan, are running unopposed.

Other contested races in the North metro, according to candidate filings (i - incumbent):

• Circle Pines: Mayoral election -- Dave Bartholomay (i), Ed Zech

City Council (two seats) -- Shelly Massingale, Deborah O'Brien (i), Richard Runbeck.

• Fridley: School board (ISD 14, three seats): Gordon Backlund (i), Marcia Lindblad (i), Brad Richter (i), Joseph Sturdevant

• St. Anthony: City Council (two seats) -- Jan Jenson, Basil Joseph, John Prokupiuk, Randy Stille (i)

• St. Anthony-New Brighton: School board (three seats) -- David Evans (i) Kelly Everhart, Barry Kinsey (i), Sandor Miko, Leah Slye (i)

• St. Francis: School board (ISD 15, three seats) -- David Anderson (i), Todd Gardner, William Gardner, Harry Grams (i), Juanita Reed-Boniface, Marsha Vandenburgh, Albert Viall Sr.

• Spring Lake Park: School board (ISD 16, four seats): Kelly Delfs (i), Marilynn Forsberg (i), Chuck Gooder, Dan Lambert, Traci Payne, Jodi Ruch (i), John Stroebel (i), Douglas Thompson.

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419