MONTICELLO — Eight candidates qualified for the post of countytax assessor/collector and two emerged to run for the office ofDistrict 5 school board member before qualifying ended Friday.

Two more tax assessor/collector candidates stepped forward inrecent weeks to join the six who qualified earlier.

The office became available when Tax Assessor/Collector AnnetteApplewhite announced her resignation in June for personal reasonsafter serving in the office for more than two decades.

Jeff Peterson was appointed as the interim taxassessor/collector July 1 by the board of supervisors. He qualifiedfor the election later in the month.

Other candidates include Kenneth R. Allen of Jayess, AntreaseMagee Autman of Monticello, Heather Sistrunk-Barton of Monticello,Greg T. Jones of New Hebron, Donna Pippin Sandifer of Monticello,Sherry Hyde Thames of Monticello and Mike Wilson of Monticello.

Autman and Wilson are the two newest candidates to join in therace.

While candidates were turning out en masse for the tax assessorrace, the election for District 5 school board member startedslow.

Mitchell Barnes, who held the post for at least two terms, isnot repeating this election.

Two candidates have stepped forward in the past two weeks tochallenge each other for the post. Marjorie Davis Lucas and JimmySpeights, both of Silver Creek, will face off on the Nov. 5ballot.

Tax assessor/collector nor school board candidates run on aparty ticket.

Congressional and judicial offices will also be decided on Nov.5. A run-off election, if necessary, is slated for Nov. 19.

The deadline for registering to vote in the Nov. 5 election isOct. 6 at noon, said Circuit Clerk Cindy Stokes.

Absentee voting should begin around Sept. 21, she said.