NATCHEZ &045; When the dust had settled, four candidates had qualified to run for Phillip West’s former District 94 seat in the state House of Representatives.

Four candidates signed up by the Tuesday deadline to run for the seat, which includes parts of Adams, Claiborne and Jefferson counties. The special election will be held Aug. 3 with a runoff held Aug. 17 if necessary.

Natchez Ward 2 Alderman James &uot;Rickey&uot; Gray, former state Sen. Robert Johnson of Natchez and Natchez business owner and educator Jacqueline Carter Sullivan had already announced they would seek the post.

And on Tuesday, Tim Morrison added his hat to the ring.

Morrison, who ran for Adams County supervisor in District 2 last year, worked for 20 years for Schlumberger Well Services and has most recently worked as an engineering consultant and investment manager.

&uot;I thought that someone needed to step up that would enter the political arena and do their best&uot; for this area, Morrison said. &uot;Many times, people are tempted to sit on the sidelines and watch others run.&uot;

Morrison said his first priority in office would be to fight against unfunded mandates from the state, &uot;ones that require heavy local tax increases.&uot;

His second priority would be to push for the four-laning of U.S. 61 all the way to Lorman, &uot;for the safety of your youth and children. We happen to have one of the most dangerous highways in the nation.&uot;

Morrison said he would also work to support both Alcorn State University and Copiah-Lincoln Community College which, with their training programs for workers, &uot;are strong assets to our area.&uot;

Morrison said a willingness to &uot;step up and do what has to be done&uot; is one quality that makes him ideal for the post.

Natchez resident Elmo Robinson announced Monday he has decided not to run for the seat.

Robinson said he made his decision because the Aug. 3 date Gov. Haley Barbour set for a special election to fill the seat does not give candidates enough time to campaign.

&uot;Voters deserve to be able to get to know the candidates and see where they stand on the issues,&uot; Robinson said, adding that the Aug. 3 date &uot;is a disservice to the voters.&uot;

West vacated the post on effective July 1, the day he was sworn in as Natchez’s mayor.

The district includes all or part of the following precincts:

4In Adams County: Concord, NPS Multi-Purpose Building, Maryland Heights, Northside School, Thompson, Pine Ridge, Carpenter, Foster Mound, Bellemont, Duncan Park, Morgantown, Airport, Oakland and Washington.

4In Jefferson County: Cannonsburg, Church Hill and Rodney.

4In Claiborne County: District 1C.

Absentee ballots are available from each county’s Circuit Clerk’s Office.