The filing period for candidates hoping to get your votes in the June 5 Primary Election closes at 5 today, and several of your neighbors – and some people you may have never heard of – are ready to start the battle for public office.

Since California voters approved an Open Primary in 2010, the two final contenders for partisan offices need not be of opposing parties; instead, the two candidates with the highest number of votes would be matched against each other in the decisive election in November. For nonpartisan offices, if one candidate gets 51 percent of the vote, there is no runoff election; this rule does not apply in partisan contests.

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Contending for the 25^th Congressional district seat is the incumbent, Buck McKeon; challenged by Republican Dante Acosta, a local financial consultant and Democrat Laura Molina, who is an artist. Candidate Lee Rogers, a Democrat who has been running an active campaign, had not yet filed, but the County Registrar/Recorder’s office said that several candidates were waiting until the last minute to turn papers in.

In the 38^th Assembly District, three Republicans  – businesswoman and legislative spouse Patricia McKeon, school board member Paul Strickland and legislative consultant/small business owner Scott Thomas Wilk and one Democrat – small business owner Edward Headington – are in the fray to win that seat.

Another seat of local interest is that of District Attorney; it is a nonpartisan office. Five contenders are going up for the office currently held by Steve Cooley, who chose not to run. They include Los Angeles District Attorney Carmen Trutanich, current Chief Deputy DA Jackie Lacey, gang prosecutor Alan Jackson and Deputy District Attorneys John Breault and Bobby Grace.

Since California voters approved an Open Primary in 2010, the two final contenders for partisan offices need not be of opposing parties; instead, the two candidates with the highest number of votes would be matched against each other in the decisive election in November. For nonpartisan offices, if one candidate gets 51 percent of the vote, there is no runoff election; this rule does not apply in partisan contests.

Let the games begin.