MACHIAS — A four-way battle for two seats on the Machias Board of Selectmen is shaping up to make the June 1 town elections one of the hottest for local residents in recent memory.

Two last-minute candidates filing the required nominating petitions before the 4 p.m. Friday deadline passed were Edward R. Pellon and Stephen J. Smith.

Pellon, a former selectman and board chairman, lost a re-election bid to Aubrey “Skip” Carter two years ago. Pellon has remained active in town affairs, however, winning election to the Machias Budget Committee in 1992.

Pellon, who as a selectman often criticized the operation of the town’s police department, will be going up against a former Machias patrol officer, Stephen J. Smith, owner of Smitty’s Trading Post and an ardent supporter of the town’s police department.

Also seeking election to either of the two 3-year terms on the board are Thomas Wolverton, a former police officer and one-time selectman, and Harold Stuart.

Selectmen Alayne Willard and Susan Dorr, who are completing their fourth year on the board, have decided to step down from the five-member board and are not seeking re-election in June.

Willard and Dorr were chosen in 1989 to replace two former board members who had resigned over a wage dispute involving an employee at the town office. They served out the one year remaining on the resigning members’ terms and in 1990 won election to full three-year terms.

Town Clerk Martha Bagley said Monday that no papers were returned for the one 3-year term on the town’s Budget Committee presently held by Wayne Mallar. Vacancies on the Budget Committee are frequently filled by persons collecting the most write-in votes.

Richard L. Shaw, who is completing a three-year term on the superintending school committee for School Union 102, is seeking election to a two-year term on the School Board.

The vacancy was created last year when former school committee member Gael Romei resigned shortly after being elected to a full three-year term on the board. William E. Jordan was appointed by the committee to serve out Romei’s first year. The person elected on June 1 will complete the final two years remaining on Romei’s term.

Jane H. Heart, who is completing her first term on the School Board, is seeking re-election to one of two 3-year terms on the board. Other candidates seeking the seats presently held by Heart and Shaw are Peter M. Walsh and William E. Jordan.

The municipal election portion of the annual town meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, in the gymnasium at Machias Memorial High School. The meeting will reconvene on June 15 to act on the remainder of the warrant.