Applications to represent the Vineyard on the Steamship Authority board of governors are multiplying.

Four more Islanders sent letters of interest this week to the Dukes County Commission, which is the appointing authority for the Island boat line governor. That brings to eight the field of candidates seeking to replace 15-year board member Marc Hanover when his term expires next month.

Interviews are planned for next Wednesday.

The latest applicants are Rob Lytle of Oak Bluffs, Clarence A. (Trip) Barnes 3rd of Vineyard Haven, Elmer Vanderhoop of Edgartown, and Leon Brathwaite of West Tisbury. They join Allen Carney of Aquinnah, Angela Cywinski of Tisbury, James Malkin of Chilmark and Michael Lyons of Oak Bluffs in vying for the volunteer position.

Mr. Lytle’s application cited his master’s degree in information technology and more than 20 years of digital project management among the assets he would bring to the boat line board.

Mr. Barnes, a retired trucker who is in his second term as an elected member of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, sent a handwritten letter of interest.

Mr. Vanderhoop is a retired EMT, former Aquinnah selectman and member of the Wampanoag tribe, according to his application.

Mr. Brathwaite is retired and previously worked in human resources for the city of Newton. He also is an elected county commissioner.

Among the four candidates who applied previously, Mr. Malkin is a second-term Chilmark selectman and retired business executive with a background in transportation. Mr. Lyons is an Oak Bluffs resident and truck driver who is a 2008 graduate of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. Mr. Carney is a marketing and sales technology consultant who lives in Aquinnah. And Ms. Cywinski is a Tisbury resident who formerly worked as the principal assessor in Aquinnah.

County manager Martina Thornton said Thursday that interviews will be held on Feb. 5 beginning at 2 p.m. Due to the large volume of applicants, she said the interviews will be moved to the Vineyard Transit Authority administration building where there is more space. The building is located at 11 A street in the airport business park.

At press time Thursday, Ms. Thornton also said she was researching the rules governing Mr. Brathwaite’s participation in the process, since he is also now an applicant. The application deadline is Friday.

The county commission is expected to vote on March 4, according to Ms. Thornton.

Mr. Hanover decided recently to not seek a sixth three-year term on the board. Earlier this month he took over as board chairman. He said he plans to attend the February meeting, and will stay on longer if needed.