Early voting begins today for the May 9 election that will decide city and school board seats throughout the area.

Two school board seats and four City Council races are on the ballot in Denton, and residents of Corinth, Krum and Aubrey will choose their mayors. Voters can cast early ballots through May 5.

Voters in Denton’s four geographical council districts will elect their representatives to the seven-member council. The other three seats, including mayor, are elected at-large in even-numbered years.

In District 1, which covers parts of central and Southeast Denton, freelance journalist Eliborio “Eli Gemini” Beltrán and self-employed businessman Bob Clifton hope to deny a third term to incumbent Charlye Heggins, a retired nutrition coordinator.

Three candidates are running to replace District 2 council member Rudy Moreno, who decided to not seek a full two-year term after winning a special election last year. Retired school principal Dalton Gregory, information technology manager Michael Roby and real estate appraiser Roger Strahan are running in the district, which covers northeast and far east Denton.

Five residents are vying for the District 3 seat Jack Thomson is vacating because of term limits. College students Sam Casey and Andrew “Teets” Teeter, marketing specialist Jim Engelbrecht, computer analyst Amy Manuel and business owner Hatice I. Salih are candidates for the district, which covers parts of central and northwest Denton.

District 4 incumbent Chris Watts, a lawyer and real estate investor, faces write-in candidate Phil Kregel, a substitute teacher, in his bid for a second term.

In the Denton school board races, Curtis Ramsey and Jeanetta Smith hope to hold onto their at-large seats. Ramsey, a retired educator, faces a challenge from real estate agent Sheryl English. Smith, a retired teacher, is facing Tony Puente, who works for the city finance department.

In Corinth, Mayor Vic Burgess is not seeking a fourth term. Two sitting council members — Paul Ruggiere, a research director, and Shannon Bryan, a business development director — are running to replace him.

In Krum, Mayor Terri Wilson, a teacher, faces challenges from former Mayor Larry Lamonica, who owns a mowing service, and Don Ouellette, a mechanic.

In Aubrey, Mayor Gary Hammett’s bid for a second full term faces a challenge from David Coker, a real estate agent.

Staff writer Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe contributed to this report.

LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .