Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Nine local public offices are up for election this year, with 13 candidates remaining on the field after the qualification period, which ran June 8-12.
Of the 13 remaining candidates, however, only seven will face voters’ choices, as six of the races have already been decided, leaving only three for voters to determine the outcomes.
The offices that have already been decided by virtue of the incumbents facing no opposition are the District 2 County Commission seat, with Commissioner Eugene Hall unopposed; the District 5 School Board seat, with incumbent School Board Member Magdalen “Mags” Flynt facing no opposition; the Group 1 City Council seat, with incumbent George Evans unopposed; and the Group 2 City Council seat, with incumbent Gloria Cox also unopposed.
Also, Alex Hoffner and Christine Rojas on the District 3 and 5 of the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation Board, respectively, face no opposition.
The races that voters must still decide are the District 4 County Commission seat and the District 2 and 3 School Board seats.
In the District 4 County Commission race, one-term Republican incumbent Austin Hosford is facing a challenge from Democrat Lois Howell-Hunter, formerly the tax collector here. This election will be decided in November.
In the nonpartisan District 2 School Board race, three newcomers are vying for the office, as incumbent Willie Ann Dickey is not seeking reelection. The choice here is among Jamia Bradley, Donnie Burdick and Miranda Gillyard Gilley. This race could be decided in the primary, if any one candidate receives 50% of the votes plus one. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters will go to the general election in November.
In the nonpartisan District 3 School Board race, which will be decided in the primary, one-term incumbent Brenda Bentley Wirick is facing a challenge from Shirley Washington, who long held the seat until Wirick unseated her.
School board races are nonpartisan, no matter the candidates' personal political party affiliation.
The primary is set for Tuesday, Aug 18, with early voting set to run August 3-16. Early voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the elections office, located at 1175 W. Washington St.