Qualifying for June primary ends April 4

By Sonny Turner
sonny@athensnews-courier.com

March 25, 2008 08:46 pm

— With the April 4 qualifying deadline approaching, only one local political office is being contested in the upcoming June primary election.
As of Tuesday, only five candidates in both the Democratic and Republican parties have qualified to seek local office this year. Those candidates are for the two Limestone County Commission seats and the two Limestone County Board of Education posts up before voters.
On the Democratic side, District 4 incumbent Bill Daws has qualified to seek re-election. Political newcomer Sam McMeans is opposing him. They have no Republican opposition, as yet.
On the Republican side, District 2 incumbent Gerald Barksdale has qualified to seek re-election to a fourth consecutive term and has no Republican or Democratic opposition as of Tuesday.
Incumbent Limestone County Board of Education members Darin Russell and James Shannon have also qualified to seek re-election to their school board posts.
Russell is seeking his second term as the school board’s District 4 representative.
Shannon is seeking his second term for the District 5 position. Both are running as Democrats. They have no Democratic or Republican opposition.
The primary election is June 3 with a runoff election scheduled July 15, if needed.
The general election, in which voters will elect a president, will be Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Wallace a delegate
Meanwhile, Limestone County Democratic Party executive Pam Wallace is the only person from Limestone County who will be going to the upcoming conventions to select presidential nominees.
Wallace was elected as a delegate in February and will attend the Aug. 25 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Col.
“When I was a kid growing up I remember watching the convention on television,” she said. “I said then that I would love to attend one.”
Wallace has been to two other conventions and she said each one was interesting.
“But I can’t imagine what this one is going to be like,” she said. “With such a close race between Hillary and Obama, it’s going to get real interesting.”