By the time the filing deadline had come and gone on April 19, no one had filed to run for the Third Ward seat on the Niles City Council in the Aug. 2 primary election.

So what does this mean?

City Clerk Linda Casperson said someone could run as a write-in candidate, but they would have to submit a declaration of intent by 4 p.m. Oct. 28 in order for the votes to count.

“If no one runs as a write in,” Casperson said, “the council can appoint someone until the next election.”

Casperson said the last time no one filed to run for an opening on the council was in 1999 when no one ran for the Fourth Ward council seat. Three people ran as write in candidates and Daniel Everett was elected.

The Third Ward seat set to expire is currently occupied by David Mann, who joined the council in 2011.

In a phone interview Thursday, Mann said he intended to file for reelection but did not have time to gather the required signatures because he is busy attempting to obtain a master’s degree in divinity.

“I really did not have time — this is really the intense capstone part of my master’s degree — to collect signatures, so I plan to run a write-in campaign this time instead,” he said.

Also on the Niles City Council, Georgia Boggs (Ward 1), Daniel VandenHeede (Ward 2) and John DiCostanzo (Ward 4) are up for reelection. All filed and are running unopposed.

The mayor’s seat is also up for grabs.

Three people, Rex Carpenter, Robert Durm and Nick Shelton, have filed to run for mayor. Current Mayor Mike McCauslin, who has occupied the seat since 1999, decided not to run again, saying it is time for someone else to take the position.