With five of nine Birmingham City Schools board members not seeking reelection, the city school’s governing body will have a majority of new members in the next administration.

Including the four incumbents who seek second terms, 31 candidates are vying for positions in district races for the Birmingham Board of Education.

The incumbents in Districts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 – Sherman Collins, Lyord Watson, Brian Giattina, Randall Woodfin, and April Williams, did not seek reelection to the four-year positions.

Incumbents seeking reelection are current board President and District 7 member Wardine Alexander, District 4 incumbent Daagye Hendricks, District 6 board member Cheri Gardner and District 9 incumbent Sandra Brown.

The 2017 roster of school board candidates includes 18 first-time candidates and a dozen repeat candidates who ran for school board or City Council in the past.

Nearly half the school board candidates are active or retired teachers, some in the city system and others are college professors. Several more candidates are city employees.

In the District 5 race, which with eight candidates has the most of any district, all candidates are first-time office seekers and five of the eight are educators.

The Birmingham Board of Education is a nine-member elected body that works with the superintendent to establish a vision for the school system and approves operating budgets and other plans. Birmingham City Schools board members are paid $300 a month, plus $400 for expenses.

For details about individual candidates and which of the system’s 43 schools are in which districts, go to BirminghamWatch’s Voter Guide.