Qualifying begins for party primaries
Political signs for the upcoming local elections have already started to pop up around the county but so far the races seem to be weighted heavily on one side.
As of Saturday, the Franklin County Democratic Party had 10 individuals to qualify for local elections while the Franklin County Republican Party only had one, according to records for both parties.
However, prospective candidates have until Jan. 13 to qualify.
For the Democratic Party, Stratt Byars, Connie Green and Chris Nichols all qualified to run for the office of probate judge; William Bishop will run for commissioner of District 1, a spot which was previously held by Byars; Howard Hutcheson will run for re-election for commissioner of District 2; Billy Wilson will run against Hutcheson for commissioner of District 2; Randy Hargett will run for commissioner of District 3, a spot which was previously held by Greg Smith who opted not to seek re-election; Don Hastings will run for re-election for commissioner of District 4; Gary Williams will seek re-election as the Franklin County superintendent; Ralton Baker will seek re-election as a county school board member in District 1; Ralph Winchester will seek re-election as a county school board member in District 5; and Bobby Brown and Ray Hill both qualified in their separate precincts to seek re-election as constables.
For the Republican Party, current probate judge Barry Moore qualified to seek another term.
“As of right now, all the offices in the county are held by Democrats with the exception of the probate judge position,” said Brian Hamilton, president of the Franklin County Democratic Executive Committee. “We are pleased with the candidates who have declared their intent to run so far and we expect several more to qualify before the deadline.”
For every office except the office of probate judge, the individuals who qualified are currently running unopposed – a fact that Mayor Jerry Mays, who serves as the president for the Franklin County Republican Executive Committee, said his party hopes to change.
“We have members from the party headquarters coming on Monday and we expect to get our plans for the upcoming elections in place,” Mays said. “We’re also expecting some more people to qualify so the elections won’t be so one-sided.”
Mays noted that, historically, Democrats have won most local elections but he said it was time for the tide to change.
“I think Franklin County is one of the last strongholds in the state of Alabama for the Democratic Party but I think people will eventually see that their mindset and the way they believe about things is really closer to today’s Republican Party,” Mays said.
“It would do Franklin County a world of good to become a two-party county and I think we will make strides in that direction in 2012.”
Local primary elections are set for March 13 and the general election will be Nov. 6.
Following the end of qualification, the Franklin County Democratic Party will hold a kick-off dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 13 at the A.W. Todd Centre in downtown Russellville.
Tickets are $13 and can be purchased from Wanda Myrick at Abstract & Appraisal or from Brian Hamilton at McDowell, Beason & Hamilton, PC.
