CAPE ELIZABETH — Town Council Chairwoman Jessica Sullivan and Councilor Sara Lennon will not seek re-election in November.

Five candidates filed nomination papers by the Sept. 7 deadline for the seats held by Sullivan, Lennon and Councilor Jamie Garvin. 

Garvin is seeking re-election in the Nov. 6 election. 

Barring write-in candidates, the race for three seats on the School Board will be uncontested. Incumbents Heather Altenburg and Elizabeth Scifres will run for re-election.

Laura DeNino, of Steeplebush Road, returned nomination papers for the board’s third seat, being vacated by John Voltz, who is instead running for the Town Council. 

Along with Garvin and Voltz, Jeremy Gabrielson, of Rocky Knoll Road, Valerie Deveraux, of Shore Road, and James Tasse, of Cliff Avenue, will be on the ballot for election to the Town Council. 

Voltz was elected to the School Board in 2015. This was his first term in public office. 

Gabrielson and Tasse both serve on the Conservation Committee, Tasse as chairwoman, and would be required to give up their seats on the committee if elected to the council in November. 

Tasse ran for Town Council last year but was defeated by Councilors Chris Straw and Valerie Randall. 

Deveraux has not served on a town committee or board, but said she’s active with the high school’s speech and debate team. 

On their decisions not to seeks re-election, Sullivan and Lennon both said they felt it was time for something “new.”

Sullivan was first elected to the Town Council in November 2009 and re-elected in 2012 and 2015. This is her second year as chairwoman, having also served in 2014. 

On Sept. 12, Sullivan said she was looking forward to a new professional direction, having just earned a Master of Public Health degree.

“Serving Cape Elizabeth citizens for nine consecutive years on the Town Council has been a tremendous privilege,” Sullivan said. “I’ve worked hard to carefully study the many issues we have faced and to vote in the best interests of all town citizens.”

Lennon is in her third, non-consecutive term, having served from 2007-12, ending the two-term stretch as chairwoman. She was elected to the council again in 2015.

Lennon on Sept. 11 said that it’s been an honor and a privilege to have served on the council and she’s appreciative of the support she’s had over the years, but feels “new faces, new energy and new ideas” will be valuable on the council. 

All of the elected offices have three-year terms that begin on Monday, Dec. 10.

Applications for absentee ballots are now available on the town’s website or can be requested online using the state’s online service.  Absentee voting will be open until 4 p.m Thursday, Nov. 1, and after that only by special exception.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at Cape Elizabeth High School on Nov. 6. 

Jocelyn Van Saun can be reached at 781-3661, ext. 183 or jvansaun@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter @JocelynVanSaun.