No candidates qualify as Independents

The qualifying period for independents began June 28. In order to qualify, potential candidates were required to present a petition signed by a percentage of voters as determined by the position being sought.

In addition to obtaining the required signatures, independents must pay an $18 fee to qualify for a school board seat and a $180 fee to run for the board of commissioners.

With no independents qualifying, several local races will be decided in the July 20 primary.

School board races for districts 1, 4 and 7 have only Republican candidates. The winners of those races will be unopposed in November. Connie Wehunt, who is seeking reelection to school board seat district 3 is unopposed. School board district 9 member Mark Still is unopposed in the Republican primary, but will face Democrat Rushia Cooper in the general election.

Commission races for districts 4 and 6 will also be decided in the primary. District 5 commissioner Billy Parks is unopposed.

If none of the candidates in the contested races receive at least 50 percent of the vote, the two candidates with the highest number of votes will compete in a runoff on Tuesday, August 10.

The general election is set for November 2.