SELMA — Absentee voting for the Oct. 27 election has begun.

Registered voters who want an absentee ballot will need to go to the Selma City Clerk’s office and request one, according to City Attorney Jimmy Nunn.

The ballot will have two elections on it: one for Selma City School Board members and one for the $12 million bond issue.

Candidates have qualified for election in the school board race. The school board will have five members: four selected from districts throughout the city and one at-large as president.

Those who have qualified for the school board races are:

District 1: Roderick V. West, Dr. Kirit D. Chapatwala, Charryse King Gorden and J. Holland Powell.

District 2: Mactrica K. Shannon, James E. Terry Jr., Kimesha H. Alvarado, Brenda Obomanu and Velma C. Brewer.

District 3: David Cothran, Frank E. Chestnut Jr., the Rev. Karl A. Lewis and Dr. Margaret Hardy

District 4: Debra Reeves-Howard, Dr. Udo F. Ufomadu and Frances Cole

President: The Rev. Kobi Little, Henry Hicks Sr., Dr. Anne M. Fitts, Benjamin Givan, Pastor Coley Chestnut and Barbara Hiouas.

The Coalition of Concerned Families is holding an education forum at the Performing Arts Center today at 5 p.m.

“After several years of advocating for an elected school board, the Coalition of Concerned Families is excited to know that the people will finally choose the leadership of the Selma City School Board,” said Jasmine S. Pritchett, president of the coalition.

All candidates were invited as panelists. Each session is a 30-minute question-and-answer forum. Questions from the audience will be written and taken up during the first 15 minutes.

All candidates are allowed to bring in and set up campaign material, but all material must be removed immediately after each session so that the next candidates may set up during the five-minute transition, Pritchett said.

The other election is for the $12 million bond issue. The bond issue will cover all city departments and the ballot is broken down by departments.