The political season in Oak Bluffs promises to feature several exciting races for elected office, as five candidates run for two seats on the board of selectmen and the incumbent moderator faces his first challenger in nine years. West Tisbury should also see some political sparks, as two candidates with a sometimes confrontational past vie for a single seat on the board of assessors.

Meanwhile in Edgartown, a town known for its usually tranquil political season, there is but a single contested race.

The deadline for nomination papers to be returned has passed for Oak Bluffs, West Tisbury and Edgartown. The deadline for nomination papers for Tisbury is Tuesday; in Chilmark it is March 25, in Aquinnah, April 8.

Oak Bluffs almost always features contested races for elected office, and this year is no different. Five candidates with diverse backgrounds compete for two seats on the five-member board of selectmen; incumbent Gregory Coogan faces challengers Gail Barmakian, Kathleen Burton, Herbert (Bert) Combra and David Wessling.

One of the open seats was vacated by longtime incumbent Roger Wey, who decided not to run for reelection this year after serving 21 years as selectman.

Mr. Coogan is a longtime teacher now finishing his second term on the board. Mr. Combra is from a well-known political family, and is himself a former selectman, Martha’s Vineyard Commission member and retired town highway superintendent.

Ms. Burton is a member of the Cottage City Historic District commission. Mr. Wessling is a former planning board member and traffic planner for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. Ms. Barmakian is a current member of the zoning board of appeals and wastewater commission.

Meanwhile the race for Oak Bluffs moderator, which is rarely contested in any Island town, features a showdown between longtime incumbent David E. Richardson and challenger Jesse (Jack) B. Law III.

Mr. Richardson is the owner of Tony’s Market and has served as moderator since 1999. Mr. Law is a former selectman, resident home site committee member and finance committee member. He is currently a member of the cemetery commission and the board of assessors.

In the final contested Oak Bluffs race, three candidates vie for a single three-year term on the school committee. Melanie M. Bilodeau, Melanie Marchand and Bill McGrath are all challengers, seeking to replace incumbent Judith O’Donoghue, who decided not to run for reelection. Ms. Bilodeau is a current member of the board of assessors and former cemetery commissioner, Ms. Marchand is a parent, and Mr. McGrath is a school teacher and member of the town finance committee.

In the uncontested races, incumbent Allan A. deBettencourt Sr. is running for a three-year term on the park commission, incumbent John Bradford is running alone for a five-year term on the planning board, and Joseph deBettencourt is running for a three-year term as tree warden.

Mr. Law is running unopposed for reelection to the cemetery commission.

Incumbent Hans von Steiger is running unopposed for a three-year term on the wastewater commission and incumbent Kevin Johnson is unopposed for a three-year term on the water district commission.

There are four candidates running for four open seats on the finance and advisory committee. Challenger Mac Starks is running unopposed for a two-year seat on the committee, while incumbents Frank Case and Mimi Davisson join former member Linda Marinelli in running unopposed for three-year terms on the committee.

In West Tisbury, two challengers, Tara J. Whiting and Jemima James are running for a one-year term as town clerk. After serving for 12 years, current town clerk Prudence Whiting decided not to run for reelection this year.

In another interesting race for board of assessors, longtime government watchdog Jonathan Revere faces longtime board chairman Michael Colaneri for a single, three-year term.

The two faced off against one another in 2006, at the height of several controversies and legal disputes centering on the board of assessors; Mr. Colaneri narrowly defeated Mr. Revere by 10 votes. In that election, many felt the candidacy of former selectman Glen Hearn may have taken votes from Mr. Revere and spoiled his chances for election.

In the only other contested race in West Tisbury, four candidates — Sarah Carr, Harvey Garneau, Melissa Hackney and Isaac Russell — vie for two three-year terms on the library board of trustees.

Voters will also consider a single ballot question, whether the town clerk position should switch from an elected position to an appointed position. At a selectmen’s meeting last month, town treasurer Kathy Logue recommended that three elected positions — town clerk, town treasurer and tax collector — all be changed to appointed positions.

Ms. Logue said the increased complexity of the jobs has made all three professional-level jobs requiring greater skills and training. Selectmen, however, agreed to proceed slowly and limit the article this year to the town clerk position.

In uncontested races, Jeremiah Brown is running for a one-year term as West Tisbury tree warden; Timothy Barnett is running for a three-year term as constable; Gregory Orcutt is running for a three-year term on the finance committee; Virginia Jones is running for a five-year term on the planning board; James Powell is running for a three-year term on the planning board; and Nicole Cabot is running for a three-year term on the parks and recreation committee.

Incumbent Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter is running unopposed for a three-year term on the board of selectmen; Timothy A. Barnett is running unopposed for a three-year term on the board of health; Katherine Logue is running unopposed for a one-year term as treasurer and Brent Taylor is running unopposed for a one-year term as tax collector.

Edgartown features just one contested race for a three-year term as water commissioner between incumbent William Erickson and challenger Peter M. McGuire.

In uncontested races, Arthur Smadbeck is running for a three-year term as selectman, Kevin Searle is running for a three-year term on the board of health, Laurence Mercier is running for a three-year term on the board of assessors. Incumbents David Blackburn and Herbert Foster are running unopposed for two open seats on the library board of trustees. Park commissioner Glen Searle is running unopposed for reelection, as is school committee member Leslie Baynes.

Melissa Kuehne is running unopposed for reelection as town collector; Timothy Connelly is running unopposed for reelection as wastewater commissioner.

Several races lack the required number of candidates to fill the ballot, requiring voters to fill in the names of write-in candidates.

Incumbents Thomas Durawa and Morton Fearey are running for three seats on the finance advisory committee, with the third seat likely to be filled by a write-in candidate. There are no candidates running for a single five-year term on the planning board, which will also need to be filled by a write-in candidate.