Candidate Qualifying Starts Today

Qualifying starts this morning for the 2014 general primary election in Stephens County.

Registrar Theresa Kelley said that candidates for races such as Stephens County Commission and Stephens County Board of Education can qualify to run for office beginning at 9 a.m. today at her office in the StephensCountyGovernmentBuilding in Toccoa.

“If you want to qualify for any of the county commission seats or any of the school board seats coming up, you need to qualify with my office,” said Kelley, who is handling qualifying for both the Democratic and Republican parties in Stephens County.

“My office is here from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday (for qualifying),” said Kelley.

The qualifying fee is $396 for Stephens County Commissioner and $36 for Board of Education member.

Candidates can qualify as either a Democrat or a Republican.

A candidate can also qualify as an independent candidate, but the requirements to do so are more involved than qualifying with one of the two parties, so candidates considering that should contact the Registrar’s Office first.

There are three county commission seats on the ballot this year in StephensCounty.  Those seats are Post One, formerly held by the late Harold Andrews; Post Four, currently held by Stanley London; and Post Five, currently held by Dean Scarborough.

In addition, there are four Board of Education seats up for election this year.  Those are District One, Post Two, which belongs currently to Steve Tilley; District Two, Post One, which is currently held by Sandra Childs; District Two, Post Two, which Jeff Webb currently holds; and District Three, Post One, currently belonging to David Fricks.

Stephens County Commission seats are at-large, but those qualifying for the Board of Education must live in the district of the seat they are qualifying for.

A map of those districts is available at the Stephens County Registrar’s Office.

Also, local candidates wishing to qualify for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor should do so with the Registrar’s Office.

There is no qualifying fee for that position, but a candidate must collect 25 signatures to get on the ballot.

For more information on local qualifying, contact the Stephens County Registrar’s Office at 706-886-8954.

Candidates in state races qualify in Atlanta.