Only one school board member faces opposition
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Incumbent 1st District board member Debbie Watlington will face challengers Marty Powers and Gordon McGee Jr. for her seat in the district which encompasses the second and third county commission districts.
Meanwhile, incumbents Larry Judkins of the 3rd District and Mike Holland of the 5th District will face no opposition as, although qualifying papers had been picked up in their districts by possible challengers, none were returned by the noon deadline yesterday.
In the case of Terry Gallagher, who would have taken on Holland in the 5th District, the absence of his signature on the second page of his qualifying petition will likely keep him from seeking office.
According to Election Administrator Donna Yates, Gallagher?s petition was received shortly before the noon deadline Thursday but was brought to the election office by another person. It was then discovered the second page, where some of the required 25 signatures needed to qualify were located, had not been signed. Legally, the candidate must sign each page where signatures are affixed. With the deadline past, Yates said Gallagher, at least for now, will not be on the ballot.
?He can take this before the chancellor and get a ruling but as for now he will not be on the ballot,? Yates said of the election law which is unyielding when it comes to qualifying deadlines.
Barring a reversal of the decision by the court, the winner of the three-way race for the 1st District seat, along with Holland and Judkins, will join the three other members of school board whose terms will come up for election in two years given the staggered board terms.
In other qualifying news, incumbent 47th District state Rep. Judd Matheny will face opposition in November from a Democratic opponent. Two hopefuls, David Clark and Garth Segroves, both of Coffee County, will vie this August for the Democratic nomination to take on the Republican incumbent. The 47th District encompasses Coffee County and western Warren County.
Charles Curtiss, incumbent Democrat for the 43rd District which serves the lion?s share of Warren County, will not face opposition for re-election.