Four qualify to run for office

Four local candidates — all incumbents — had qualified to run for office as of 3 p.m. Tuesday with qualifying remaining open until this Friday at noon.
Shannon New qualified to seek reelection for the District 5 (Ocmulgee District) Board of Education post, John Girtman qualified to seek reelection to the District 4 (Whitehead District) Board of Education seat, Vann Wooten is in the race for his District 5 (Ocmulgee District) County Commission job and Shawn Rowland has qualified to run again as Jeff Davis County State Court Judge.
Positions for which no one had qualified as of Tuesday afternoon were Whitehead District County Commissioner, now held by James Emory Tate; Blackburn District Board of Education, now held by Greg Brantley; At Large Board of Education, now held by Roger Ogilvie; and State Court Solicitor, now held by Graham Floyd.
Qualifying remains open Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.