As qualifying ends, Ferriday mayor’s race most crowded

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 31, 2004

VIDALIA &045;&045; Five o’clock came and went, the computers were shut down and the final list of qualifiers for the March elections were printed Friday afternoon as qualifying officially came to a close.

Qualifying was Wednesday through Friday at the clerk of court’s office for Clayton, Ferriday and Vidalia municipal elections as well as school board races.

The Ferriday mayor’s race still is the most popular, with the same six candidates who qualified Wednesday &045;&045; Gene Allen, Justin Conner, William &uot;Peanut&uot; Cornwell, Incumbent Glen McGlothin, Alex Promise and Freddie L. Quinn.

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Current Clayton Mayor Wilbur Washington along with incumbent Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland are running for re-election unopposed. In the only alderman races in the parish this March, Clayton aldermen, the five positions that run at-large just did fill up as the last candidate slipped in just before the 5 p.m. cutoff time.

Vidalia and Ferriday aldermen races were taken off the March 9 ballot by the Secretary of State’s office earlier this week because both boards failed to turn in redistricting plans prior to qualifying. The current aldermen in both towns will continue their posts until they get federal approval for new plans and hold another election.

Clayton aldermen incumbents Linda Delaughter, Gail Duncan and Irene Jefferson qualified to run, as did Donna Keith and Lola O’Briant. Current Clayton Alderman Bill Evans qualified to run for Clayton chief of police against incumbent Clarence W. &uot;PaPa&uot; Skipper.

For Vidalia chief of police, incumbent Billy Hammers will face Lynn McNemar.

School board races filled out a little bit by Friday, but four of the current members will run unopposed &045;&045; Mary Campbell, District 1, Place B; Raymond T. Riley Sr., District 2; Ricky Raven Sr., District 4, Place A; and Martha Rabb, District 5, Place A.

Others qualifying for school board were:

District 1, Place A &045;&045; Incumbent Johnnie Brown, Marguerite Hayes and Melanie Watson.

District 3, Place A &045;&045; Incumbent Donald Joseph and Gary Parnham.

District 3, Place B &045;&045; Incumbent Darrell &uot;Bubba&uot; Crofford, Jerry Roberts and Bill Staggs Sr.

District 4, Place B &045;&045; Cindy Harper, Donald Whittington and Incumbent Jimmy Wilkinson.

District 5, Place B &045;&045; Lonnie Hughes and Incumbent Ernest Lynn White.

This week, parish residents also could qualify for party-affiliated seats &045;&045; Democratic State Central Committee member, Republican State Central Committee, Democratic Parish Executive Committee Member and Republican Parish Executive Committee Member.

Incumbent Rena Pitts of Ferriday was the only one to qualify for DSCC member, 21st Representative District, Office &uot;A&uot;. Incumbent Al Ater of Waterproof is running against Buddy Spillers of Ferriday for DSCC in the 21st Representative District, Office &uot;B&uot;. Steve Fleming of Vidalia and Emerson Slain of Ferriday qualified for RSCC, 21st Representative District, Subdistrict A. For RSCC, 21st Representative District, Subdistrict B only Fred Wyly of Tallulah qualified.

For DPEC member, at large, Justin Conner, Rosa Mae Elaine and Bettie Jean Johnson qualified and five members are elected.

Clayton Starling qualified for RPEC member at large, a position that five people are elected in.

For DPEC member, District 1, Place A, Elijah Banks qualified to run against incumbent Clarence Hymon. For DPEC member, District 2, incumbent Theodore McCoy was the only one to qualify, as was Mack H. Moore for DPEC member, District 4, Place A.