County Ballot Firmed Up for Fall Elections

Franklin County Clerks of Courts Marcia Johnson, Tax Collector Jimmy Harris, County Commission Noah Lockley, Jr. and School Board Member Teresa Ann Martin can all breathe a sigh of relief, as they have been spared the challenge, in both time and money, of facing an opponent in elections this fall.

For all the other county office holders whose terms are set to expire this year, get ready for an exciting political season.

At noon Friday, the official qualifying period for the upcoming election ended, and so the ballot has now been made final.

While the Supervisor of Elections race initially looked to be a shoo-in for longtime incumbent Doris Shiver Gibbs, her decision earlier this month to pull out of the race has set the stage for a spirited contest in the Democratic primary to succeed her.

Both Ida Cooper Elliott, of 1600 Bluff Road, in Apalachicola, and Renèe S. Griffin, of 258 N orth Bayshore Drive, in Eastpoint, paid the required $4,446 fee to qualify for the ballot, which represents 6 percent of the supervisor's $74,094 annual salary.

The only other candidate to qualify by fee was in the county commission race in District 1. Republican Pinki C. Jackel, of 301 North Gorrie Drive, on St. George Island. paid $1,507.20 to qualify for the ballot, 6 percent of the county commission's $25,120 salary. Facing no opposition in the Aug. 26 Republican primary, she will move automatically to the Nov. 4 general election.

Incumbent commissioner G. Russell Crofton, Jr., of St. George Island, will square off in the District 1 Democratic primary against challengers David Ray Ard, of Eastpoint, and Joseph Rickards, of Eastpoint.

The other contested commission race is in District 5, which enco mpasses an area between Eastpoint and Carrabelle. Incumbent commissioner Bevin Putnal, of Carrabelle, is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary from Hank Garrett, of Eastpoint. The winner will take on Republican challenger Dawn Evans Radford, of Eastpoint, in the general election.

In District 3, which includes the Hill neighborhood of Apalachicola north of U.S. 98, both incumbents, Democratic county commissioner Lockley, and school board member, Teresa Ann Martin in that non-partisan race, face no opposition.

The two contested school board races will be in Districts 1 and 5, as candidates compete for a post that pays $24,012 annually.

In the District 1 contest to replace Denise Butler, three challengers will battle for the seat - Tom E. Loughridge, of St. George Island; George W. Thompson, of Eastpoint; and Abbie G. Shiver, of Eastpoint.

In the District 5 race, four challengers are vying for the right to replace John Richards, who is not seeking re-election. The four include Mark E. Nobles, of Carrabelle; Katie McKnight, of Carrabelle; Carlton "Carl" Whaley, of Carrabelle; and Tim Whitehead, of Eastpoint.

Butler, of Eastpoint, is running as a Republican in the hotly contested school superintendent' s race. Initially, there loomed a GOP primary battle between her and Will S. Kendrick, of Carrabelle, but he has decided to run without party affiliation, and so will face both Butler, and the winner of the Democratic primary, in the general election.

Nina M. Marks and Temolynn "Lynn White" Wintons, both of Apalachicola, will square off in the Democratic primary for the right to succeed Jo Ann Gander, who is not running for re-election, as superintendent.

Two other contested countywide elections will feature battles for sheriff and property appraiser.

Republican candidate R. Bruce Barnes, of St. George Island, is running unopposed for that party's nomination for sheriff, and will face the winner of the Democratic primary, which pits incumbent Mike Mock, of Carrabelle, against challenger Lloyd "Skip" Shiver, Jr., of Apalachicola. That job pays $99,307 annually.

In the property appraiser's race, Democratic incumbent Doris Barber Pendleton, of Apalachicola, is facing a challenge from Republican Richard Harper Jr., of St. George Island. That job pays $90,721 annually.

That salary is the same as for tax collector and county clerk of courts, both of which will see their incumbents returned to office.

Marcia Johnson is completing her first four-year term as clerk, while James Harris, Jr., 47, was first elected in 1992, and is about to embark on his fifth term.

"It's a privilege and an honor to be able to serve the people of this county," he said.

As it stands now, the county has 7,431 registered voters, with about 72 percent of them, or 5,329, registered as Democrats. Another 21 percent, or 1,535, are registered as Republicans, while 447 voters, or 6 percent, have no party affiliation, and the remaining 120 voters are affiliated with other parties.

Individuals who are not registered to vote, or who plan to switch their party affiliation, have until July 28 to register for the primary election, and until Oct. 6 to register for the Nov. 4 general election.