Qualifying for three school board spots and the county prosecuting attorney ends next week.
Marion County Circuit Clerk Janette Nolan said those seeking the offices up for election on the Nov. 6 ballot can qualify through Sept. 7.
Qualifying is being held for:
• The county attorney special election to replace the late Scott Phillips;
• District 3 on the Marion County School Board, currently held by Jessie Graham;
• District 4 on the county school board, currently held by Wendy Hammonds; and
• One spot on the Columbia School District Board of Trustees, currently held by Dr. Ronald Luethje.
On Tuesday, Hammonds filed her petition to run again, and Graham confirmed that he intends to run and will be turning in his petition and signatures before the deadline. Luethje could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Lawrence Hahn has already qualified in the county attorney special election.
Qualifying began on Aug. 8.
Nolan said that if no one qualified for a specific position, when the current term ended a vacancy would be declared. Statutes would dictate how a member would be appointed.
To qualify, a statement of intent must be filed along with a petition signed by not less than 50 registered voters from the district in which election is sought. A statement of economic interest must be filed electronically within 15 days of qualifying with the Mississippi Ethics Commission and required campaign finance disclosure reports must be filed with the Circuit Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on the day of the filing deadline.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, all candidates must be qualified voters and not convicted of a crime that disqualifies them.
For more on how to qualify for the municipal election, visit the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website as sos.ms.gov.
The voter registration deadline will be Saturday, Oct. 6 at noon. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will be open from 8 a.m. until noon that day.
Absentee voting begins Sept. 22 and ends Nov. 3 at noon. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will be open the Saturdays previous (Oct. 27 and Nov. 3) from 8 a.m. until noon.
In addition to the local races, the ballot will include two U.S. Senate races, House District 4, currently held by Republican Steven Palazzo, a Mississippi Supreme Court Justice position, a Court of Appeals position and Circuit Court and Chancery Court judges.
Voters who need to update their addresses can visit the circuit clerk’s office or go to sos.ms.gov/vote.
