By Tara DeRock Mahoney
Senior Staff Writer

    The deadline to qualify for various county elected positions is tomorrow at noon, but as of Tuesday only a handful of people had qualified to run in a number of races.
    Incumbent Clerk of Superior Court Jody Moss qualified to run again for her position; Terry Evans, the chairman of the Morgan Memorial Hospital Authority, qualified to run for Tax Commissioner; Keith Howard qualified to run for the Board of Education District Three slot; and Sammy Cathey qualified to run for a full term as District Five County Commissioner. (He is currently completing the unfinished term of the late Chester Thomas.)
    “Currently and officially, Sammy Cathey is the only one to qualify [for the commissioners’ races],” said Morgan County Election Superintendent Bobby Howington on Tuesday morning. Beyond that, the fields are wide open.
    County commissioners from District Three (incumbent Mack Bohlen), District Four (incumbent Ellen Warren) and District Five (incumbent Cathey) will be up for election this fall, as will Board of Education representatives from District One (incumbent Minnie Peek), District Two (incumbent Nelson Hale), and District Three (currently Jimmy Paxson, who has declared that he will not run again).
    Elections for Morgan County Sheriff, Coroner, Probate Judge, and District Attorney will also take place in November, but no one had qualified for any of those races as of press time. Morgan County resident Keith Fitzgerald has previously stated his intention to run for Sheriff, but as an independent qualifier he will not register with the Board of Elections and Registration until late June. Commissioner Ellen Warren has also stated her intention to run for the District Four seat, but as an independent candidate she is not required to qualify this week.
    Typically, candidates running on a party ticket such as Democrat or Republican register with their local party first, then the party files the paperwork with the county on behalf of the candidate.
    “I expect we’ll see a lot of activity around here on Friday,” said Howington.