By Matthew S.L. Cate
Staff Writer
Local races in Dade and Walker counties are taking shape as the qualifying period to seek public office ends at noon today.
Barring new candidacies emerging today, both counties will have a contested primary race for one school board seat and an uncontested Republican in another school board post. Dade County also is poised to have a contested County Commission race.
Meanwhile, qualifying continued in Atlanta on Thursday for state-level posts. Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Mark Taylor, currently lieutenant governor, and Secretary of State Cathy Cox both officially became candidates Thursday.
Walker County Election Supervisor Barbara Berry said Susan Wells and incumbent School Board Chairman Joe Moore both have qualified as Democrats and will face each other in the July 18 primary.
Incumbent school board member Mike Carruth, a Republican, is set to seek re-election unchallenged.
Ms. Berry said she didn’t expect any more office-seekers to qualify today.
“I think it’s pretty much taken care of,” she said. “But, you never know.”
Unless more candidates make unexpected filings today, Dade County will see two contested general election matches, one each for the District 1 school board seat and the District 1 County Commission seat.
Republican school board member Clyde Barton’s re-election run for the District 2 seat was unopposed as of Thursday evening, as was Democratic District 2 Commissioner Scottie Pittman’s race.
Dade County GOP Chairman Lee Riddle said he doesn’t think anyone will oppose Mr. Pittman, but he said he’s optimistic GOP challenger Bill Slack can oust incumbent District 1 Commissioner Lamar Lowery come Nov. 7.
Democrats hold three of the five Dade County Commission seats, with the other two going to a Republican and a Libertarian, County Commission Chairman and Executive Ben Brandon.
“From what (Mr. Lowery) has done recently, I think we stand a really, really good chance of winning this election,” Mr. Riddle said. “He hasn’t done anything for his end of the county. All he has done is argue with Ben (Brandon) about things all over the county.”
Charles Pittman, Dade County Democratic Party chairman, said he’s “pretty confident” the Democratic incumbents will remain in office.
“People like Lamar on the commission as a check and balance of Ben Brandon,” he said. “I think our candidate will win that one hands down.”
In the contested school board race, Careyee BellCQ has qualified to opposed incumbent Gary Massengale in the District 1 GOP primary.
No Dade County Democrats have qualified for school board, and Charles Pittman said there likely won’t be.
E-mail Matthew S.L. Cate at mcate@timesfreepress.com
Staff Writer
Local races in Dade and Walker counties are taking shape as the qualifying period to seek public office ends at noon today.
Barring new candidacies emerging today, both counties will have a contested primary race for one school board seat and an uncontested Republican in another school board post. Dade County also is poised to have a contested County Commission race.
Meanwhile, qualifying continued in Atlanta on Thursday for state-level posts. Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Mark Taylor, currently lieutenant governor, and Secretary of State Cathy Cox both officially became candidates Thursday.
Walker County Election Supervisor Barbara Berry said Susan Wells and incumbent School Board Chairman Joe Moore both have qualified as Democrats and will face each other in the July 18 primary.
Incumbent school board member Mike Carruth, a Republican, is set to seek re-election unchallenged.
Ms. Berry said she didn’t expect any more office-seekers to qualify today.
“I think it’s pretty much taken care of,” she said. “But, you never know.”
Unless more candidates make unexpected filings today, Dade County will see two contested general election matches, one each for the District 1 school board seat and the District 1 County Commission seat.
Republican school board member Clyde Barton’s re-election run for the District 2 seat was unopposed as of Thursday evening, as was Democratic District 2 Commissioner Scottie Pittman’s race.
Dade County GOP Chairman Lee Riddle said he doesn’t think anyone will oppose Mr. Pittman, but he said he’s optimistic GOP challenger Bill Slack can oust incumbent District 1 Commissioner Lamar Lowery come Nov. 7.
Democrats hold three of the five Dade County Commission seats, with the other two going to a Republican and a Libertarian, County Commission Chairman and Executive Ben Brandon.
“From what (Mr. Lowery) has done recently, I think we stand a really, really good chance of winning this election,” Mr. Riddle said. “He hasn’t done anything for his end of the county. All he has done is argue with Ben (Brandon) about things all over the county.”
Charles Pittman, Dade County Democratic Party chairman, said he’s “pretty confident” the Democratic incumbents will remain in office.
“People like Lamar on the commission as a check and balance of Ben Brandon,” he said. “I think our candidate will win that one hands down.”
In the contested school board race, Careyee BellCQ has qualified to opposed incumbent Gary Massengale in the District 1 GOP primary.
No Dade County Democrats have qualified for school board, and Charles Pittman said there likely won’t be.
E-mail Matthew S.L. Cate at mcate@timesfreepress.com
