Mark Pody (R)

Mary Alice Carfi (D)

CLAY COUNTY-Only two candidates, one Republican and one Democrat, have qualified to run in the upcoming special election to fill the vacated 17th District State Senate seat left open by the resignation of Mae Beavers—who did so to make a run at the governorship in 2018.

According to local administrator of elections Wanda Daniels, both candidates will run unopposed in the the upcoming November 7 primary, before squaring off in the December 19 general election.

Current 46th District State Representative Mark Pody is the lone GOP candidate, while Wilson County attorney Mary Alice Carfi will be the singular choice of the Democratic party.

Besides those here, voters in Wilson, Cannon, Dekalb, Smith, and Macon counties will cast votes in both the special primary and general elections.

Early voting for the primary begins here on Wednesday, October 18 and continues through November 2.

Ballots can be cast early from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the election office located in the Clay County Community Center at 145 Cordell Hull Drive in Celina, with the exception of the when the office is closed for lunch (12-1 p.m.) and on Sundays.  Early voting can also be done on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, October 10.  Election Day (Nov. 7) voting will take place at all county precincts here (see notice page 3A).

The special election was called by the governor, because state law requires a vacant Senate seat to be filled if the vacancy occurs 12 months before the next state general election—which will be held over a year from now.

For more on the special election, contact Daniels at 931-243-2536.