The field of candidates for Lincoln County sheriff grew by twoin a qualifying week that also saw a challenge to a previouslyunopposed constable, according to documents with the Lincoln CountCircuit Clerk’s Office.

Candidates have less than a week to meet the 5 p.m. Thurdayqualifying deadline for the party primaries Aug. 7 and the Nov. 6general election. The 2007 elections include nearly all county andstate offices.

Democrats Robert Berry, a former sheriff’s investigator nowinvolved in private investigations and a full-time truck driver,and Gene “Bub” Simmons Jr., an automobile salesman, qualified thisweek to expand the field of sheriff’s candidates to six.

Berry and Simmons will meet fellow Democrats Sheriff SteveRushing; Lynn Boyte and B.W. Pitts at the polls in the primaryelection. The winner will advance to face Republican Terry Harperin November.

One person has picked up papers to seek the sheriff’s office asan independent, but those documents have not been returned,election officials said.

In other contests, Brookhaven police officer Mike Milholenbecame the first to challenge incumbent Lavon Boyd for the Post Twoconstable’s seat last week. Both are Democrats.

A vast majority of candidates have qualified with the DemocratParty, but a growing number of Republican and independentcandidates have begun to surface in the past few weeks.

Other candidates for office include:

* Supervisor District One: Incumbent the Rev. Jerry Wilson.

* Supervisor District Two: Incumbent Bobby J. Watts, Ellis DaveChatmon and Jerry E. Nix.

* Supervisor District Three: Incumbent Nolan Earl Williamson,Marley B. Bowman and Russell L. Laird.

* Supervisor District Four: Incumbent Doug Moak, Eddie Brown,Charles Davis, Jeff Fauver and Independent Earl H. Brown.

* Supervisor District Five: Incumbent Gary Walker and RepublicanDonald R. Golmon.

* Chancery Clerk: Democrats Tillmon Bishop, the incumbent, andMaxine McCoy Jones.

* Circuit Clerk: Incumbent Terry Lynn Watkins.

* Tax Assessor/Collector: Incumbent Nancy Jordan and RitaWilkinson Goss.

* Coroner: Incumbent Clay McMorris.

* Justice Court Judge Post One: Ralph Boone, Carol Brewer, FrankLeggett, Art Likens, Valerie Shelby-Sterling and Trisha JordanWeeks.

* Justice Court Judge Post Two: Ricky Beavers, Carl Brown,Andrew Graham, Chris King, Ann Reeves and Republican FreddieCanon.

* Constable Post One: Incumbent Charles Ralph Smith, Clint A.Earls, Kelly Porter and Don Smith.

* Superintendent: Incumbent Terry Brister.

The office of county surveyor still has no candidates.