Local, state candidates pay in on first day of qualifying

ALBANY — All three incumbent Dougherty County commissioners whose seats are up for re-election qualified to seek another term on the commission Monday, the first day of qualifying for May 24 Republican and Democratic primaries.

Lamar Hudgins, Clinton Johnson and Harry James, who represent districts 1, 3 and 5, respectively, on the county board, paid qualifying fees at their respective parties’ qualifying headquarters. Hudgins is a Republican. James and Johnson are Democrats.

“This officially makes it back to business,” Johnson said after qualifying at the offices of Dukes, Edwards & Dukes. “I feel like you’re running for office the whole time you serve on the commission; your work on the people’s behalf is what should determine whether you deserve their vote again. I feel like part of my duties as a commissioner includes developing programs that help the lowest people on the totem pole understand what the government is doing for them.

“I qualify as a Democrat and work to move the party forward because our local party works hard on behalf of the people in the community. That’s something that’s important for candidates to remember.”

Qualifying is old hat for Hudgins, the longest-serving elected official in the community. Monday marked his seventh time qualifying for the County Commission. He also qualified twice for an Albany City Commission seat and once for the Albany mayor’s race.

“Yep, I’ve done this a few times, but each time it’s new and exciting,” the District 1 incumbent, who qualified at The Coach House event center, said. “I enjoy serving the people of District 1, the best folks in Dougherty County. The commission doesn’t really do glamorous things — we’re more concerned with the landfill, roads and keeping the millage rate as low as possible. But it’s important that we represent the needs of our citizens.

“We have some giants gone on our commission — there’s Jack (Stone), Jeff (Sinyard), Gil Barrett and Lamar Reese — but we have a group that I believe has the best interest of our community at heart. We’ll have to wait until (qualifying ends) Friday to see how things shake out. I think whoever’s on the board will have to focus on SPLOST and improving our roads as a priority in the coming four years.”

James has served only two years on the commission, having claimed the District 5 post after a special called election, but he’s stayed ahead of the curve in his efforts to serve his constituents. He finished certification through the Carl Vinson Institute of Government in half the time the process generally takes.

“There’s a difference in being a politician and being a public servant,” James said. “I think I’ve proven myself to be a servant of the people. If you take a poll in my district, I think you’ll find that I always return calls, I always go to see constituents who have issues and I’ve worked with them to take care of these concerns, no matter how big or small.

“I came in with a vision of serving the people, and that hasn’t changed. I will continue to work to improve the quality of life in Dougherty County, do everything I can to make it a better place to live.”

Also in Dougherty County Monday, incumbent Sheriff Kevin Sproul, Clerk of Courts Evonne S. Mull and Coroner Michael Fowler qualified to return to their offices. Donchester Johnson qualified to challenge Fowler for the coroner’s office.

Four seats are up for grabs on the Dougherty County School Board, and three incumbent Democrats qualified on Monday.

District 4 representative and Board Chair Velvet Riggins qualified to seek a third four-year term; Robert Youngblood qualified to run for a second term, and District 5 representative James Bush qualified to seek his third term on the board.

No challengers have stepped forward to run against any of the incumbents.

The fourth seat to be decided is the School Board’s at-large position currently held by Lane Price, who is not seeking re-election this cycle. So far, the only person announced to seek that at-large seat is political newcomer Susie Ealum, the daughter of former District 6 board member Darrel Ealum. She said she would qualify for the seat either Wednesday or Friday.

In Lee County, none of the three incumbent county commissioners had qualified for his seat by mid-afternoon Monday, but both Bill Williams and Lee Johnston qualified to run againt Greg Frich in the county’s Redbone District. Williams previously held that seat before being defeated by Frich in 2012.

Chief Magistrate Court Judge Jim Thurmond and Sheriff Reggie Rachals also qualified to seek re-election Monday, while Jeffery Kirt, Miles O’Quinn and Melanie Gahring qualified to seek the Probate Court judgeship.

Also in Lee County, three School Board seats are on the ballot. Board Chair Sylvia Vann qualified late Monday afternoon for a fifth term in District 4, as did District 2 representative Clair Lang. District 5 representative Frank Griffin also plans to seek re-election.

None of the three incumbents has thus far drawn an opponent for the nonpartisan election.

“I think we have a very good School Board and we all work very well together,” Vann said. “I’d like to keep it together.”

In Worth County, two school board seats are on the ballot — Jerry Jones in District 2 and Billy Oliver in District 3. As of Monday afternoon, neither incumbent nor any challengers had qualified.

On the state level, District 153 Rep. Darrel Ealum and District 151’s Gerald Greene qualified for re-election at the secretary of state’s office in Atlanta.

“I am honored to have served you last year in the 2015 Legislative session and am busy continuing to serve you through this 2016 Legislative session,” Ealum wrote in an email. “Our delegation truly works as a team to provide Albany and Dougherty County outstanding representation in our Atlanta General Assembly.”

Greene said, “I have always tried to be fair and responsive to the people I represent. The interest of my constituents is always my first priority when voting on issues. Party is never first, but the people are when representing their ideas, values and concerns.”

Qualifying will end at noon Friday, with party primaries set for May 24.

Staff writer Terry Lewis contributed to this report.