A pair of local offices will be up for grabs in November’sgeneral election, but so far only one incumbent has thrown his hatinto the ring.

With less than two weeks qualifying time remaining, Lincoln CountySchool Board member Michael Posey is so far the only candidate whohas completed the necessary paperwork to run in the scheduledelection for the District Five seat and appears headed toward anunopposed contest. Meanwhile, cobwebs are growing on theapplications for the District Three seat on the Lincoln CountyElection Commission, where so far no challengers have turned intheir names to run in the special election for the spot vacatedwhen commissioner Bennon Case died in June.

“We have had one lady pick up a form but she hasn’t turned it backin,” said Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Terry Lynn Watkins.

Qualifying has been open since Aug. 4 and ends next Friday on Sept.3, leaving potential politicians 10 days to get their forms fromthe circuit clerk’s office and beat down the doors of neighborhoodsupporters. Qualifying for either office requires the candidate tocollect 50 signatures from registered voters in the district wherean office is being sought.

There are no fees or charges to qualify, but time is afactor.

“If anybody is thinking about it, they need to pick their petitionup and get back to us in plenty of time to verify the signatures,so if something happened they’d have time to go back out and gathera few more signatures,” Watkins said.

There are no prerequisites for serving on the school board orelection commission, though some training sessions may be requiredafter the election.

Posey, who early this spring was unsure if he’d run again afterhaving a kidney tumor removed, said his health has recovered andhe’s vying for a second six-year term.

“I’ve enjoyed it and I want to stay with it,” he said. “The doctortold me as far as he was concerned that was healed, so I’m goingfor a second term … unless somebody beats me.”

Bobbie Mae Case is currently the District Three electioncommissioner, appointed by Lincoln County supervisors to fill infor her late husband. But Case will not run for the spot thisNovember, and so far no one else is gunning for the job,either.

According to section 23-15-839 of the Mississippi Election Code, ifno one qualifies to run for the office by a deadline 60 days priorto the election, the board of supervisors will have authority tofill the vacancy by appointment.