December 18, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
Candidates interested in running for one of the offices on the May 3, 2022, Republican and Democratic Primary ballots can pick up petitions at the local election office beginning Monday, Dec. 20.
“In addition to obtaining a petition, candidates will also be given additional paperwork and a published ‘guide’ to assist them throughout the electoral process,” said Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections.
“Both Deputy Administrator Tina Gee and I will be available to issue petitions and assist the candidates and the process will take approximately 10 minutes per candidate,” he added.
Offices on the May primary ballots include: County Mayor; Road Supervisor; Sheriff, General Sessions Judge; Circuit Court Clerk; County Clerk; Trustee; Register of Deeds; County Commissioner in all seven (7) districts; School Board members in districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7; Constable in District 4 to fill a vacancy; Circuit Court Judge Part I and Part II (13th Judicial District); Chancellor (13th Judicial District); Criminal Court Judge Part I and Part II (13th Judicial District); District Attorney General (13th Judicial District); and Public Defender (13th Judicial District).
Petitions must be returned by Noon February 17th.
There is an additional earlier deadline for Sheriff and Road Supervisor candidates. They must have appropriate paperwork to the Peace Officer Standards Training Commission (POST) for sheriff and the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification board 14 days before the qualifying deadline.
While the above offices will appear on May primary ballots, candidates also have the option to run as Independent candidates who will not appear on the ballot until August. However, the same qualifying deadlines apply.
Winners of the May primaries will square off against each other in the August DeKalb County General Election along with any properly qualified Independent candidates.
The local election office is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is located on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.