Qualifying opens Monday morning

Qualifying for county offices up for election this year opens Monday, March 2 at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at noon next Friday, March 6.

Offices up for election this cycle include sheriff, probate judge, chief magistrate, clerk of court, tax commissioner, coroner, county commissioners for Districts 1, 3 and 4 as well as board of education members for Districts 1, 3, and 4.

The school board races and the office of probate judge are all nonpartisan races. Candidates seeking election in nonpartisan elections should qualify with the Grady County Probate Judge’s office at the courthouse.

All other races are partisan races with republican candidates qualifying at the offices of Rockdale Transport, 750 U.S. Hwy. 84, Cairo. Democratic candidates will qualify at The Cairo Messenger, 31 First Avenue N.E.

Incumbent Grady County Sheriff Harry Young has said he would seek re-election. Jared Evans and Steve Clark have made public their intentions to run for sheriff. Other candidates who are expected to qualify are Cairo Police Officer Duke Donaldson and Grady County School Resource Officer Dickie Thomas.

Grady County Clerk of Courts Debbie Kines, Grady County Board of Education members Jeff Worsham and Teresa Gee Hardy and Grady County commissioners June Knight and LaFaye Copeland have all made public announcements of their plans to qualify for re-election.

Two political newcomers have also made public announcements including Bobby Newmons, who says he plans to run for tax commissioner, and LaTasha Copeland, who says she will run for county coroner.

It is anticipated that incumbents including Probate Judge Denise Maddox, Chief Magistrate Pat Pollock, Tax Commissioner Barbara Darus, County Commissioner Keith Moye, Coroner Rusty Powe, and newly appointed Grady County Board of Education member Gerald Goosby will qualify next week.