MONTICELLO — Six candidates qualified for school board andelection commissioner offices on the first day here Wednesday.

Two school board and all five election commissioner offices willbe decided Nov. 7 among those who qualify for the position by theSept. 8 deadline.

“Petitions for some of the offices have already been picked up,”Circuit Clerk Cindy Stokes said.

Districts 3 and 4 have school board members whose terms expirein January. Neither incumbent has qualified, Stokes said, addingthat she expected they would.

Sherry Thames, district three incumbent, faced no challengers onopening day. Denise Bishop, district four incumbent, however, hadone challenger emerge. Jack J. Wellborn Jr. qualifiedWednesday.

The opposite occurred in the election commissioner races. Allfive incumbents qualified Wednesday with no challengers present.Incumbents include Martha Tynes, district 1; Marilyn Daughdrill,district 2; Loraine G. Smith, district 3; June Grubbs, district 4;and Lue Jean Harvey, district 5.

Also on this year’s ballot is a special election for JusticeCourt Judge Post 2. The post was left vacant with the death of theincumbent, Maxie Carey Rutland, in December 1999. Rutland had wonhis re-election bid that November and was expected to hold officeuntil 2004.

Albert Turnage was appointed as the interim judge by the Boardof Supervisors, but cannot campaign for the office because he livesoutside of the district.

Candidates for the judge post began qualifying in January and alarge field has emerged in the last eight months. Candidates whoqualified in January include James H. Ard, James E. “Jamie” GivensJr., Verla Davis Dillon, Gregory L. May, Curtis “Curt” Brister andJames “Sandy” Brister. Since January two other candidates haveentered the field — Donald Glen “Donnie” Mullins in March andHomer Sutton in April.

“There is still a petition out for justice court judge as well,”Stokes said. She said the petition left her office in January.

Residents interested in campaigning for one of the open officesshould pick up a petition at the Circuit Clerk’s Office, Stokessaid. It takes 50 signatures to qualify for school board andelection commissioner offices and 15 to qualify for the judge post.There are no registration fees for any of the offices, shesaid.