The town of South Prairie is ready for the November general election, but one town council seat is missing a vital ingredient: candidates.

Council position five is currently held by Laura Heideman, whose term officially ends on Dec. 31. Along with every other position up for election and reelection in Pierce County, open candidate filing was posted by the office of the auditor from May 13 to May 17. No one applied for the open council seat or the mayor’s seat, making the 434-person town along state Route 162 one of two Pierce County city governments to see unfiled positions. The other was the city of Roy.

The county auditor opened a special three-day filing period for candidates in June. Councilman Anthony Caldwell filed to run for mayor, but the council seat remained unfiled.

City clerk and treasurer Marla Nevill said this is the first time in her 17 years on the job that she’s seen a city seat go candidate-less.

“It is our hope that (Heideman) would agree to remain in office until the Council could appoint someone for that Position,” Nevill said in an email responding to questions about the council seat. “Then, I believe, that position would be on the ballot at the next general election.”

South Prairie operates under a mayor/council form of government, with a five-member town council. Council members serve four-year terms.