Nine residents are seeking the Butler City Council seat that will be open next year.

Bill Criley, who ran for council as an independent in the Nov. 6 election, along with Tom Graham, Bill May, Pat McIntyre, Nick Landon, Gregg Reesman, Amy Keys, Phillip Neyman, and Corey Roche have submitted letters to the city saying they want to be picked for the soon-to-be-vacant seat.

Graham, May, McIntrye, Landon, Reesman, and Neyman are Republicans, while Keys and Roche are Democrats.

GOP Councilwoman Lisa Guard announced Nov. 21 she will resign at the end of the year to move to Erie. The city will have 30 days from her resignation to appoint a new member to finish the remaining two years on her four-year term.

Council will interview each of the candidates and vote to pick one. City solicitor James Coulter said discussion about the candidates would be public.

City Clerk Mindy Gall said council cannot vote on the candidates until after Guard’s official resignation at the end of the year, meaning mayor-elect Tom Donaldson will have one of the four votes. Guard will not have a vote.

The annual salary for a council member is $2,500.