A special election to fill the office ofLincoln County circuit clerk will find its place on November’sballot, and candidates may begin qualifying now, according toChancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop.

    Other county races occurring alongside the circuit clerk specialelection on Nov. 6 will be those regularly scheduled for allelection commissioners and two county school board posts. Federalelections for president, senator and representatives will also beheld on that date.

    County election commission candidates must qualify by June 4.

    Aug. 8 is the first day county school board candidates may qualify.Sept. 7 is the last qualifying day for the circuit clerk specialelection and county school board posts.

    On the county school board, seats representing District One andDistrict Five will be up for election. Kay Coon and Stacy Newellcurrently fill those seats respectively.

    Proponents of fully open primaries in Mississippi will get a tasteof what they propose in the special election for circuit clerk.

    No party primaries will be held, said Bishop. Instead, allcandidates, regardless of party affiliation, will go on theballot.

    If a single candidate fails to receive the 50 percent plus one votemargin of victory required, the top two candidates will go to arunoff. Thus, though the special election will occur alongsideNovember’s presidential and congressional elections, a runoff couldderail county hopes for a cost-free special election.

    If required, the runoff would occur Nov. 27.

    The special election will come a year after Terry Lynn Watkins wona fifth term as circuit clerk in the 2011 county elections. Sheresigned Jan. 6, the same week her fifth term began, as part of aplea bargain to avoid a trial on felony embezzlement charges.

    County supervisors appointed Sherry Jordan to fill the clerk’soffice until the special election determines who will finishWatkins’ term. According to the supervisors, Jordan told the boardat the time of her appointment she does not intend to seek theoffice.

    So far, one potential candidate has announced plans to seekWatkins’ former office. Janie Sisco has resigned as District 4election commissioner, citing her intention to run for circuitclerk.

    Supervisors appointed Betty Carroll Rushing to fill Sisco’s postuntil the November elections. Rushing has declined to make adecision yet on whether she will seek election to the post she hasbeen appointed to fill.

    Federal primaries occur March 13, with candidates for House andSenate seats and any remaining Republican presidential contenderson the ballot.

    Third District incumbent U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper will face RobertAllen of Sturgis in the Republican primary. Democratic candidateCrystal Biggs of Florence faces no primary opposition.

    Second District incumbent U.S. Rep Bennie Thompson faces primaryopposition from Heather McTeer, a former Greenville mayor.

    Bill Marcy of Vicksburg qualified as the lone Republican candidatein the district and Cobby Mondale Williams of Canton is in the raceas an independent.

    Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker will face E. Allen Hathcock ofStewart and Robert Maloney of Madison in the Republican primary.Democratic candidates in the primary are Albert N. Gore Jr. ofStarkville, Will Oatis of Silver Creek and Roger Weiner ofClarksdale.