A would-be special election became unnecessary Monday whencounty supervisors waived the contest and appointed the onlycandidate seeking a seat on the Lincoln County Election Commissionto the office.

Supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Marsha Warren to fillthe remaining term of her father-in-law, Lee Warren, who steppeddown from the commission in June for health reasons after 28 yearsof service.

Marsha Warren was already serving on the commission in atemporary capacity and became the full-time commissioner after noother candidates expressed interest in the office.

“We thought we were going to have three people in that race, butthe other two decided not to run,” said Lincoln County CircuitClerk Terry Lynn Watkins.

Watkins said a few potential candidates picked up the necessarypetitions from her office but never returned them with the required50 signatures. Warren was the only candidate who completed thepaperwork to run for her father-in-law’s former office.

According to the Mississippi Code of 1972, when only onecandidate qualifies for an office, “… the commissioners ofelection shall certify to the board of supervisors that there isbut one (1) candidate. Thereupon, the board of supervisors shalldispense with the election and shall appoint the candidate socertified to fill the unexpired term.”

Warren could not be reached for comment Monday.

In other appointment matters, the board reappointed Tommy Sasserto Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Board of Trustees. DistrictThree Supervisor Nolan Williamson said no one had expressedinterest in challenging Sasser.