Candidate Deadlines Grow Closer – Field Continues To Widen

As the days are winding down to turn in petitions for the May primary elections, more hopefuls are throwing their name in the ring for consideration. There are currently five contested offices for the May primary, with three of those having incumbents. Two offices, that of County Court Clerk and General Sessions Judge, have retiring officials and both have garnered wide interest. Currently, six potential candidates have picked up petitions and three- Travis Adderhold, Daniel Estes and Frank Herndon-have turned in their petitions. Five potential candidates have picked up petitions for General Sessions Judge and four-Randolph, Repass, Roach and Scroggins-have already turned in for the May primary. Also picking up but not, yet, returning is Lu Ann Ballew.

The three contested offices that have incumbents are Jefferson County Mayor, Jefferson County Sheriff and Circuit Judge Part II. For the Office of Jefferson County Mayor, four petitions were picked up and, as of Friday, February 7, 2014, three candidates have returned their petitions. Two-incumbent Mayor Palmirei and Mills-will face off in the Republican primary and Dockery is currently the lone Democrat. The winning Republican and Democrat will face off in the general election in August. For the office of Jefferson County Sheriff, five potential candidates have picked up petitions and two-incumbent Sheriff McCoig and Kearney-have qualified. Currently, there are no petitions out for the Democrat primary for the office of Sheriff and one potential for Independent (Cameron), though no petitions other than for the Republican primary have been returned for the office of Jefferson County Sheriff. Circuit Judge Part II has two potential candidates-incumbent Judge Vance and Justice- however, as of date, only Vance has qualified for the May election.

Incumbents in all other offices that are on the May ballot have returned petitions, with the exception of Public Defender Edward Miller, who has picked up but not returned his petition.

Petitions are continuing to be picked up for the August election. For County Commission in District 1 incumbents Kesterson, and Maples, as well as Freams, have picked up petitions and Kesterson had returned his qualifying petition. In District 2, incumbent Patterson, Carr and Douglas have picked up petitions. Incumbents Musick, Tabor and Baxley have picked up for District 3 and incumbents Turner and Cureton have picked up petitions for District 4. In District 5, incumbent Solomon, Potts, Shaw and Griffin have picked up petitions and in District 6, incumbent Blevins, Clark and Riley have also picked up but no petitions have been returned in Districts 2-6. Incumbents Scarlett and Akard, as well as Bales, have picked up petitions in District 7 and Akard has turned his qualifying petition. For District 8, incumbents Dockery and Tucker, in addition to Bergen, have picked up and in District 9 incumbent Carmichael and Seal have picked up petitions with Seal having returned this qualifying petition. Incumbents Beeler and Sheets, as well as Reed and Cameron, have picked up qualifying petitions in District 10, with Beeler having returned his petition.

Picking up for Highway Commissioner District 1 is Noyes and District 3 is Simpson and Condry. Incumbent Potts has picked up for School Board District 1 and incumbents Jarnigan and Vines, as well as Burton, have picked up for District 3. Rice has picked up a petition for Executive Committeeman for the Republican Party and Laughlin has picked up and returned her petition for Executive Committeewoman for the Democrat Party. Ramsey has picked up and returned a petition for State Representative for District 11.