Winder sees only races so far as qualifying closes today

In Braselton, where qualifying ended Wednesday, only the incumbents – Tony Funari in District 3 and Richard Mayberry in District 1 – stepped forward to run.

The status of qualifying elsewhere around the county as of early this morning:

AUBURN
The only candidates to qualify so far are Mayor Linda Blechinger and council incumbents Peggy Langley and Dorissa Shackelford. Qualifying ends at 4:30 p.m.

BETHLEHEM
Incumbent council member Wayne Ridgeway has qualified for Post 2, and former council member C.L. Wood Jr. has qualified for the Post 4 seat held by Scott Morgan. Morgan at the start of the qualifying period had not announced his intentions, but he has yet to qualify. The town’s qualifying period ends at 5 p.m. today.

STATHAM
Incumbent council member Hattie Thrasher qualified on Wednesday. Mayor Robert Bridges qualified on Monday, as did Perry Barton, who is seeking to fill the seat being vacated by Joe Hayes. Qualifying ends at 4:30 p.m. today.

WINDER
At the start of the final day of qualifying in Winder, the mayoral race has two candidates: incumbent Mayor Chip Thompson and councilman David Maynard.

John Perkins, owner of Adamson and Perkins Appraisals, has qualified to run for the at-large council seat that Maynard is vacating in order to run for mayor.

Incumbent Charlie Eberhart and challenger Jim Cooley have qualified for the Ward 2 council race.

Business owner Travis Singley has qualified to run for the Ward 4 seat being vacated by Frank Dunagan.

Two local businessmen who earlier announced their candidacies – Troy Hensley and former county chairman Doug Garrison – had not made it official by the end of the day on Thursday. They have until 4:30 p.m. to get by city hall.