Labor Day weekend is now just a week away, and traditionally, the fall general election basically kicks off just after the final summer holiday and continues up to the November general election.

Now that the filing deadline for all local races has come and gone, candidates are ready to do battle in five local contested races.

When the filing deadline for non-partisan seats had ended last Tuesday, August 14 and the fact that both major parties had selected nominees in two special magisterial district elections, there is a total of 22 persons in the running, including one candidate who will be unopposed and four others that will not even be listed on a ballot.

Four persons had filed for Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors seats and with only four positions open, it means those people will be the ones who serve on that board and their names will not have to be placed on the traditional ballot because they have no opposition, according to County Court Clerk Jim Elmore.

Those four SCS Board of Supervisors will consist of Roger Beard, James “Greg” Abston, Richard “Kenny” Mims and Greg Beard.

Although appearing on the ballot, Hershell Key, the Republican nominee for Fifth District Magistrate in the Speck and Illwill precincts, is unopposed after the Democrat party didn’t nominate a candidate in that district to fill out the unexpired term of current schools’ superintendent Charlotte Bernard. That seat is temporarily being filled by Charlene King, a Democrat.

The District Three Magistrate’s race will have a candidate from each party to fill out the unexpired term of Willard Johnson to represent the Snow, Seventy Six and Piney Woods precincts for the final two years of the term. Terry Buster is the GOP nominee while Amanda Rich is the Democrat candidate. That seat is currently being held through the end of the year by Democrat Larry Hatfield.

Before the filing had ended in non-partisan races last Tuesday, it came down to a point where all three incumbent Clinton County Board of Education members up for re-election will be challenged in November for their four-year terms.

In District Two, current school board chairman Ned Davis will be opposed by Jeff Sams. The second district is comprised of the Seventy Six and Cave Springs precincts.

In District Three, first term member Paula Key, who represents the Highway, Illwill and Speck precincts, is being challenged by former school board member Junior Elmore.

In District Four, comprised of North, East and West Albany precincts, first term member Junior Cecil will be running against a first-time board candidate, David Claywell.

The race of the six seats that make up the Albany City Council has also shaped up to be an interesting race this fall, with a total of nine candidates in the running, including all six incumbents and three other former city council members.

The candidates for city council include incumbent members Tonya Thrasher, Steve Lawson, Tony Delk, Mary Faye Stockton, Frankie Stockton and James “Smitty” Smith and the four former members in the running include Raymond Shelton, James Bray, and the last to file, Leland Hicks.

For anyone who wishes to vote in the upcoming general election but are not on the voter rolls, the last day to register to vote and be able to cast a ballot in November will be October 9.

As of late last month, a total of 7,480 people were registered voters in Clinton County, according to figures from the State Board of Elections. Of that number, 6,007 were registered Republicans, 1,371 were Democrats and 102 persons were registered as “other” party voters. This represents 154 more persons on the voter rolls now compared to the May primary.

Women voters continue to outnumber their male counterparts in voter registration, with 3,877 females registered to vote, compared to 3,603 male voters.

In the past May primary, when only one local race was on the Presidential primary ballot, about 47 percent of voters went to the polls, most of the Republican, as only about 12 percent of registered Democrats cast ballots.

During the May election, 7,326 persons were registered to vote and around 3,000 of those actually cast ballots.

With the combination of the race for President and U.S. Congress on the federal side and several precincts in the county having contested races locally, a moderate voter turnout in November is also expected.

A drawing for ballot positions in each contested race was also held last Thursday afternoon, August 16 in the County Clerk’s office.

The following is the order of appearance that each candidate will be in on the November ballot:

* School Board: District #2–Jeff Sams, Ned Davis.

* School Board: District #3–Paula Key, Junior Elmore.

* School Board: District #4–David L. Claywell, James Austin Cecil, Jr.

* Albany City Council: Leland H. Hicks, Tonya Claborn Thrasher, Frankie Stockton, James “Smitty” Smith, Mary Faye Stockton, Tony Delk, Raymond Leroy Shelton, Steven G. Lawson, James F. Bray.

Tonya Thrasher, second from right, was the first City Council candidate to draw for positions Thursday at Jim Elmore’s office. She will be one of nine seeking six seats in this year’s general election. Leland Hicks drew the number one spot, followed by Thrasher at number two, Frankie Stockton drew number three, James “Smitty” Smith took four, Mary Faye Stockton position five, Tony Delk will be in the sixth spot, Raymond Shelton picked up number seven, Steven Lawson was number eight and James Bray rounded out the council with ballot spot number nine.