The city of Lecompton barely has enough candidates to have an April general election.

Three council seats are up for grabs, and only four candidates have filed. The filing deadline was last month.

Ed Smith is the lone incumbent seeking re-election to another two-year term.

Bruce Liese, who is finishing his first and only term, decided not to seek re-election. Liese, a Kansas University professor, who has a private medical practice, also owns Kansas City Sailing, a business in North Lawrence.

“I’m burning the candle at both ends, and I’m running out of wax,” Liese said, when asked why he chose not to run again.

The third council seat was held by Chuck Folks, who moved out of town last fall. Mayor Roy Paslay appointed Christy M. Mallonee to fill Folks’ term. Mallonee, an optometrist’s assistant in Lawrence, decided to run for election.

The other candidates are Jennifer L. Smith, horticulturist at the Kansas State Extension Service in Douglas County, and Jimmy Wilkins, who works for the Lawrence Public Works Department.

Smith is chairwoman of the city planning commission. “I care a lot about the city, and I’ve enjoyed working on the planning commission,” she said.

Wilkins said he wanted to “bring some new blood” to the council and maybe make some changes.

The election will be April 1.