Candidate qualifying set March 7-11

ALBANY — Candidate qualifying for the local May 24 Democratic and Republican general primary elections will be held the week of March 7-11.

Dougherty County Democrats who plan to qualify for the offices of sheriff, clerk of court, coroner, Dougherty County Commission and School Board seats in districts 1, 3 and 5, and the School Board at-large seat will do so in the offices of Dukes, Edwards & Dukes at 407 S. Slappey Blvd. Republican candidates for the same offices will qualify at The Coach House events center at 1308 Dawson Road.

Qualifying for the nonpartisan May 24 general primary election, which includes candidates for judgeships in Probate, State and Superior courts and for the chief Superior Court judge position, will be conducted that same week in the Elections Office, Room 220 in the downtown Government Center.

Democratic candidates will qualify from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on March 7 and March 9, and from 9 a.m.-noon on March 11, according to Dougherty Democratic Party Chairwoman Constance Burkes.

“A fundamental goal of the Dougherty County Democratic Committee is to create activity that ensures the issues of diversity and inclusion across race, ethnic, gender, age, religious affiliation, education and social-economic status are being met every day,” Burkes said. “In order for this to happen, it is more important than ever before to strengthen our relationship with community leaders and organizations.

“Thus, our primary responsibility is to register, facilitate participation, educate and generate informed voters and to empower each person to vote and understand the significance of holding our public servants in office accountable. We want to make every vote count through our Get Out The Vote campaign that will include activities and programs that allow GOTV education to take place every day.”

Burkes said she vets each Democratic candidate that qualifies for office to ensure candidates are aware of the party’s values.

“The integrity of the Democratic party is at stake,” she said. “If candidates have not had involvement in the local party, we talk with them about the philosophies and principles of the party.”

Republican candidates for the contested offices will qualify March 7-10 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and March 11 from 9 a.m.-noon, according to Dougherty Republican Party Chairwoman Vicki Barnhill.

“The Dougherty County Republican Party represents a committed group of people who are working together in our region to bring awareness to the core values that define our party,” Barnhill said. “The conservative principles of the Republican Party are simple. We believe in upholding the U.S. Constitution, protecting our freedom and empowering every individual.

We believe in equal rights, justice and opportunity for all American citizens, regardless of race, creed, age, gender or national origin.

“We believe in military strength to maintain our freedom and quality education for individual success. And we further believe in accountability in all levels of government.”

Although Republicans will qualify at The Coach House, Barnhill said area GOP activities during the campaign will generate from the new Southwest Georgia Republican Party headquarters at 1121 Dawson Road.

“We’re putting the final pieces together at the new location right now, and we’ll crank things up probably around June,” she said. “We invite interested candidates to join the Republicans and engage in the party of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King Sr. The core values those leaders of the past stood behind are the core values still of our party.”

Nonpartisan qualifying for the judgeships will be conducted March 7-10 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and March 11 from 9 a.m.-noon.

“The times, dates and locations for Republican and Democratic party qualifying are determined by the parties,” Dougherty County Elections Supervisor Ginger Nickerson said. “State Code says only that qualifying must begin Monday, March 7, at 9 a.m. and conclude Friday, March 11, by noon.”

Qualifying fees for the various contested offices include:

— County Commission board members: $288

— Board of Education members: $90

— Board of Education at-large member: $108

— Sheriff: $2,347.42

— Clerk of Court: $2,034

— Coroner: $1,659

— Probate Court Judge: $2,034

— State Court Judge: $4,155.69

— Chief Superior Court Judge: $895.83

— Superior Court Judge: $829.46

Nickerson also announced that voters in Precinct 4 who had previously voted at Beattie Road Church would vote at Greenbriar Church, 3404 Gillionville Road, starting with the May 24 primary. Following the primary votes, the local general election will coincide with the Nov. 8 presidential election.