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By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal
Local candidates who will appear on the ballot for the March 1 Democratic Primary in Lowndes County include Lowndes County Board of Education District 4, and County Commission Districts 2, 3 and 5.
For Lowndes County Board of Education District 4, Minnie Peterson qualified to run against incumbent Steve Foster.
For Lowndes County Board of Education District 3, Donald J. Carter qualified for the position currently held by Annie C. Hunter. Hunter did not qualify, and the race will not appear on the ballot as Carter is unopposed.
For Lowndes County Commission District 2, former Commission Chairman Charlie King Jr. qualified to run against incumbent Carnell McAlpine.
For Lowndes County Commission District 3, Joshua “Mole” Simmons qualified to run against incumbent Brenson Crenshaw Sr.
And for Lowndes County Commission District 5, Karl K. Bell qualified to run against incumbent Dickson Farrior.
For state office, District 2, District Attorney, incumbent Charlotte M. Tesmer qualified for the Democratic Primary, and William “Bill” Morgan Rayborn Jr. qualified for the Republican Primary. As they are unopposed in their respective parties, the race will not appear on primary ballots.
For state board of education District 5, Ela B. Bell incumbent will face Joanne Shum for the Democratic Primary.
For United States Senator Ron Crumpton faces Charles Nana in the Democratic Primary and Marcus Bowman, John Martin, Jonathan McConnell, Shadrack McGill will face incumbent Rcihard C. Shelby in the Republican Primary.
For Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Place No. 3 Donna J. Beaulieu will face Tom Parker in the Republican Primary.
And for President of the Public Service Commission, Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh will face Terry Dunn on in the Republican Primary.
Statewide Proposed Amendment One will appear on both the Republican and Democratic Primary ballots. “Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to authorize the legislature to provide a retirement program for district attorneys and circuit clerks of the state who are first elected or appointed on or after November 8, 2016. (Proposed by Act 2015-342).
The respective ballots will also include candidates for President of the United States and delegates.
Candidates for President of the United States listed on the Democratic Primary ballot include Hillary Clinton, Roque “Rocky” DeLa Fuente, Martin J. Omalley and Bernie Sanders.
Candidates for President listed on the Republic Primary ballot include Jeff Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, John R. Kasich, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum and Donald J. Trump.
Eli Seaborn, Democratic Party executive committee chairman for Lowndes County, said when candidates qualified that he “is urging all Lowndes County voters to exercise their right to vote by participating in the Democratic Primary in record numbers.”
Rebecca Bates Sloane, chairman of the Lowndes County Republic Executive Committee said when qualifying dates were set, “We may not have anyone running locally, but state and the national elections are going to be something for us all to watch.”