Others pick
up petitions
CLAY COUNTY-Seven local candidates have already qualified to run in the upcoming August election to be held here this year and five others have secured petitions, but have yet to return them as of HORIZON press time, according to local election administrator Wanda Daniels.
Incumbents who have gathered the required number of signatures and have received qualification include circuit court clerk Susan Birdwell, sheriff Brandon Boone, register of deeds Brenda Browning, road superintendent Jason Browning, trustee Charlie Key, and county clerk Donna Watson.
County mayor candidate David “Rat” Westmoreland was the only non-incumbent who had qualified as of noon Monday. Westmoreland has announced he is running for the office currently held by three-term county mayor Dale Reagan, who has picked up his qualifying papers showing his intentions to run for a fourth term.
Reagan headlines a list of five who have petitions in hand, but have yet to qualify. The other four include a potential challenger for Boone and one for Brenda Browning. Tony Daniels picked up papers for register of deeds and current Celina Police chief Terry Scott did for sheriff.
The final two potential candidates to secure a petition picked them up for county commission. Jozef Kaslikowski did for the fifth district and Billy Joe White did for the second district.
They are currently the only two to pick up papers to run for the 10 commission seats set to be up for grabs. A total of six school board seats—two from each of the second, third, and fifth districts—will also be a part of the Thursday, August 2nd County General Election, but no qualifying papers have been picked up to date by incumbents or potential challengers.
Primaries for U.S. Senate, 6th District U.S. Congress, Governor, 17th District State Senate, 38th District State Representative, and 17th District State Executive Committeeman and Woman will also be held as a part of the same election. The General Election for the same offices will be held Tuesday, November 6.
Qualifying papers are currently available and the qualifying deadline is noon on Thursday, April 5. The post deadline for sheriff comes before the qualifying deadline on March 22. After qualifying, candidates have the option to withdraw through April 12. Early voting for the August election will be held July 13-28.
See a future HORIZON for continued election updates.