Qualifying for local elections started Monday morning in preparation for the primary on May 24th. Steven Brock and Doug Griffin – County Commissioner, District 2, Greg Murray County Commissioner, District 5, Edwin Jonathan Perry – Probate Judge, David A Kendrick – State Court Judge, Bobby J. Barber – Board of Education, District 5, Winston Rollins – Board of Education, District 3, Maggie Rentz Smith and Dan Stone – Chief Magistrate, Cecilia Willis and Revonn Miller – Clerk of Courts Kenny Hollis and Sonja T. Noble – Coroner, David Cutchin and Wiley Griffin – Sheriff and Donald A. Belcher and Mark Harrell – Tax Commissioner have qualified as of Tuesday evening.

“It shows a healthy democracy if you have competition,” Carol Heard, the Decatur County Chief Elections Official, said. “When voters have more of a choice it is a good thing.”

So far every candidate has qualified with the Democratic Party except for Brock and Griffin who are running for the County Commissioner seat in District 2. That means residents of District 2 will have to decide on primary day if they want to vote for their county commissioner, but no other races or if they want to vote in the other races, but not for their county commissioner.

“If they want to vote Republican they can only vote on [county comissioner],” Heard said. “Voters in District 2 are going to have to be aware that they have that choice. Think it will be confusing and frustrating to voters.”

Candidates have until Friday March 11, at noon to qaulify.