The qualifying period for Marion County School Board members for Districts 1 and 2 began on Aug. 10 and ends on Sept. 9.
In order to run for the school board, a candidate must be a registered voter of the county and a resident in the district they are seeking for at least two years prior to the election. A candidate must have a high school diploma or its equivalent and cannot have been convicted of bribery or perjury or of a felony on or after Dec. 8, 1992. The only exceptions to that are a conviction of manslaughter or a violation of the United States Revenue Code or Mississippi state tax laws unless the offense involved the misuse or abuse of an office or money coming into a candidate's hands by virtue of an office.
In order to qualify, a candidate must submit a qualifying statement of intent and a petition signed by at least 50 registered voters of the district from which election is sought. Each signature must be certified by the Marion County Circuit Clerk's Office, and all header information must be completed on each petition page before any signatures are obtained.
The circuit clerk's office must receive the qualifying statement and petition in its hands no later than 5 p.m. on Sept. 9.
A statement of economic interest must be filed electronically with the Mississippi Ethics Commission within 15 days of qualifying for office, and the required campaign finance disclosure reports must be filed with the circuit clerk's office by 5 p.m. on the date of the applicable deadlines.
If no candidate qualifies by Sept. 9 at 5 p.m., the remaining school board members must appoint someone within 60 days of the vacancy occurring, and a special election will be held during the next general election cycle.
The school board election will be held Nov. 7 during the general election.
