Two candidates have thrown their names into the race for the Los Altos City Council. Two seats will become vacant this November when Councilmen John Moss’ and King Lear’s second terms expire.

Randall Hull and Val Carpenter filed papers Monday morning within hours after the filing period opened, city clerk Susan Kitchens confirmed Monday.

Both candidates serve on the city’s planning commission. Carpenter ran in the 2003 election.

This is the first time Hull has filed papers for a city council race.

The period to file candidacy papers will close Aug. 17 if neither incumbent chooses to run again.

City law prohibits candidates from serving three consecutive terms, but Moss and Lear are exempt because that law went into effect after they had already served their first term. They will be the last candidates under current law to be able to serve a third consecutive, four-year terms.

Francis La Poll in 2003 was the first candidate to seek a third term since 1978. He was not re-elected.

Moss and Lear have said they do not plan to run for council again, Kitchens said.

For more information, call Kitchens at 947-2611.