Three sitting Wesson officials won’t have to put out electionssigns this year.

Mayor Alton Shaw, Ward Two Alderman John Welter and Alderman atlarge Van Graham are all unopposed after Friday’s deadline formunicipal elections qualifying, said City Clerk Linda Dykes.

Candidates for the other three wards will have to hit thecampaign trail, however, now that qualifying is final and the pollrolls are cast in stone. Dykes said since the town has no organizedpolitical parties, all candidates run as independents.

In Ward One, incumbent Kenneth Roberts will face challenger MikeDouglas.

Ward Three, which is a wide open race after longtime incumbentLura Greer announced that she will not run for re-election, pitslate qualifier Dr. Kate Hampton against Billy Ellison and PatriciaCarlisle.

Voters will choose between incumbent Bobby Britt and CivilDefense Director Randle Drane to be their representative in WardFour.

Meanwhile, Dykes said voters need to be sure they know if theyare in a different ward than they were previously.

“We need to get people registered,” she said. “A lot of peoplehave moved, and some from one ward to another. We need to get themin here to register in the right ward.”

Dykes said another important factor is that some ward lines havechanged after annexation redistricting.

“The wards have changed a little, so if anyone’s unsure, theycan give us a call up here and we can tell them,” she said. “We’vebeen putting it on our water bills, but a lot of people who pay bybank draft wouldn’t have gotten that message.”

And the next step for the city clerk’s office as workers gear upfor the June 2 general election is to start getting the ballotsready.

“We print those ourselves,” Dykes said. “Absentee ballots willbe ready April 20.”

Dykes said the city clerk’s office will be open longer hours toallow for absentee voters to come in. From April 20-May 1, theoffice will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday May 2,May 23 and May 30, the office will be open from 8 a.m. to noon.