Three Lincoln County judges will be unopposed when they gobefore voters in judicial contests to be held later this year alongwith other elections.

Fourteenth Circuit Court Judges Mike Taylor and David Strong and15th Chancery Court District Judge Ed Patten drew no opponentsbefore Friday’s qualifying deadline, according to the Secretary ofState’s Office. Taylor and Strong preside over circuit court inLincoln, Pike and Walthall counties while Patten is the chancellorfor Lincoln and Copiah counties.

“The highest compliment you can receive as a judge is to rununopposed,” said Strong, of McComb. “I hope I have kept thepromises I made before I was elected to my first term and I lookforward to serving another term.”

Strong will be starting his second full four-year term after beingappointed in 2006 after Judge Mike Smith retired. Strong won hisfirst term in an election later that year.

Taylor, of Brookhaven, said he was honored to be given another fouryears on the bench. Taylor, who also will be starting his secondfull term, was appointed to the circuit court bench in 2005 afterJudge Keith Starrett was nominated and confirmed to the federalappeals court.

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve and look forward to servingthe 14th district during another term,” Taylor said.

Patten will be elected to his fourth term and the judge said he was”extremely happy” about the opportunity.

“The highlight of my career has been serving the people of Lincolnand Copiah counties,” said Patten, of Hazlehurst. “I thank each andevery one of them for this honor.”

Judicial elections are scheduled for Nov. 2 along with those forcongressional and some other offices.

While Lincoln County judges have smooth electoral sailing ahead,some area county judges will have opposition in November.

In the 13th Chancery Court District, which includes LawrenceCounty, incumbent Place 1 Judge Larry Buffington, of Collins, willbe challenged by Douglas Magee, of Mendenhall, and David Shoemake,also of Collins. Incumbent Place 2 Chancellor Joe Dale Walker isunopposed.

Both judges in the 15th Circuit Court District, which includesLawrence County, drew opponents this year.

Place 1 Judge R.I. “Rip” Pritchard, of Picayune, will be challengedby Anthony Monzingo, of Purvis. Place 2 Judge Prentiss Harrell, ofHattiesburg, faces opposition from Joseph Turney, ofColumbia.

Incumbent 22nd Circuit Court District Lamar Pickard in unopposedfor re-election in the district that includes Copiah County.

In Franklin County, which is part of the Fourth Chancery CourtDistrict, incumbent chancellor Debra Halford, of Meadville, isunopposed. Also, both Sixth Circuit Court District Judges LillieSanders and Forest Johnson, both of Natchez, are unopposed.