It’s election season as the qualifying period for 2023 elections in Mississippi began Tuesday.
Four-year offices on Webster County ballots this year will include:
• Countywide and county-district seats: supervisors, sheriff, chancery clerk, circuit clerk, tax assessor-collector, coroner, constables, county prosecutor, Justice Court judges and election commissioners (districts 2 and 4 only because of staggered terms).
• Legislative seats: House districts 23, 35 and 46, and Senate District 15. (A special election will also be held in House District 23 on Tuesday; see related story in this issue.)
• Statewide and state-district seats: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, Northern District transportation commissioner and public service commissioner, agriculture commissioner, insurance commissioner, state auditor, state treasurer and 5th Circuit Court district attorney.
Qualifying will continue until Feb. 1.
According to the secretary of state’s office, to qualify for the state-level positions — governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor, state treasurer, ag commissioner and insurance commissioner — a potential candidate must pay a $300 filing fee. Those running as independents must also have 1,000 signatures.
To qualify for the position of public service commissioner and transportation commissioner, it’s a $200 fee and those who are running as independents must also gather 300 signatures. To qualify for the district attorney seat, it’s a $100 fee plus 100 signatures for independent candidates.
For county seats, it’s $15 and 50 signatures for each position except for coroner, Justice Court judges and constables. To qualify as a coroner, it’s a $10 fee and 50 signatures. To qualify for Justice Court judge and constables, it’s a $10 fee and 15 signatures for independent candidates.
To run for election commissioner, candidates must have 50 signatures and there is no fee.
The primary election will be held Aug. 8, runoffs (if required) on Aug. 29 and the general election on Nov. 7.
To find out who’s qualified and other election year news, pick up your Progress-Times or visit us at www.redhillsnewsms.com.
