Lawn signs dot county roads, urging residents to pick from a slate that includes PTA leaders, community activists and parents of children in the local schools.

The ones who are elected will face issues from overcrowding caused by development to the need to recruit and retain teachers, all overshadowed by a pending storm over school funding expected to hit this year. They'll also be working with a new superintendent, Carol A. Williamson, who was promoted July 1 by the current board.

"Our school system is at a major turning point," GeorgiAnna Schurr, a parent and former president of the county PTA. "This (election) is going to make a huge difference."

While Anne Arundel residents only get to cast a vote to keep two current school board members, Queen Anne's voters are choosing their first entirely elected board. Previously, Queen Anne's board was appointed by the governor.

Queen Anne's board is responsible for managing the county's 14 schools. Like Anne Arundel's board, it has no taxing authority, and instead asks the County Commissioners for funding - about $80 million, the largest piece of the county budget.

There are five seats on the board - four in districts and one at-large.

Only three are contested. Vito Tinelli III is running unchallenged for the District 2 seat because his opponent withdrew after the primary, and Cheryl H. Jaffe announced just recently she's withdrawing her candidacy for the District 3 seat.

But because Ms. Jaffe didn't withdraw in time, her name will appear on the ballot. That means if she gets more votes than Eddie Miller, the other candidate for District 3, the governor will appoint a replacement for her.

Mr. Miller works in fiber-optic technology for Verizon and is a member of the CWA Local 2107 union. At a candidates forum organized by the League of Women Voters Thursday, he said he wants to improve communication between parents, teachers and staff.

Mr. Tinelli owns an accounting firm in Centreville. He said he wants to bring his financial background to the board to work on budgets and funding for the schools.

At-large

The at-large seat is contested between incumbent Mark Cascia, who is currently president of the board, and Faye C. Lister, who was a board member between 1999 and 2004.

Mr. Cascia pointed to his work last year during the schools' budget crisis, noting he kept the priority on students and did not eliminate any teachers. He also said in his next term he would look for alternate ways of funding the schools - like grants and volunteers - so the board wouldn't have to make cuts.

Ms. Lister, who retired from her job in the business and continuing education departments at Chesapeake College, said the current board doesn't "mix with the public" enough, and she would talk more with the community and look at what other districts are doing.

District 1

Incumbent Joe Gannon Jr. is running against landscape architect Cindy Todd for the District 1 seat.

A self-described fiscal conservative, Mr. Gannon said that if elected he would examine pay-for-performance for teachers.

Ms. Todd who owns business in Centreville, said she'd like to see more mentoring for new teachers and smaller class sizes, and would look for grants to free up money to fund them.

District 4

The two candidates for the District 4 seat are Lisa M. Darden and incumbent Allen T. Cork, currently the board's vice president. Mr. Cork is a broadcast journalist for WJZ-TV and pastor of the Kent Island New Beginnings Church of God in Christ in Stevensville. He said his major priority is making sure students are trained to compete in a global job market, in fields like technology.

Ms. Darden said she helped fast-track renovations at Kent Island High School and raise $70,000 for new playground equipment at Kent Island Elementary School. She said she wants to see more businesses get involved in the schools.

All the candidates have or have had children attend county schools.

Of the candidates who are elected, the three who garner the most votes will serve six-year terms, while the remaining two will serve four-year terms. In future elections, all board members will serve four-year terms.

Candidates' forums will be broadcast on channel 7 on Atlantic Broadband Cable. Check www.qactv.com for schedules.