Time for candidates to qualify to run for office

/ bonnieculverhouse

By Bonnie Culverhouse

Fall elections are closer than you think and campaigning for office could begin as soon as next week.

Qualifying for the November 8 election takes place Wednesday, July 20 through Friday, July 22 in the Webster Parish Courthouse in Minden.

Clerk of Court Holli Vining said those qualifying for office should come to the clerk’s office on the second floor of the courthouse between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. those days.

“They will need to bring a completed notice of candidacy with them,” Vining said. “That notice is available on the Secretary of State’s website, or we will have a stack of them here to fill out.”

Vining said a new law is in effect that requires candidates provide an email address.

“I anticipate some won’t have one, but they can easily set up a free email address,” she said. “Something people may not realize is that we only accept their form and put it in the state system. We don’t verify any of their information, but they are signing a sworn affidavit saying that everything they put on their form is true.”

Qualifying fees vary according to party affiliation, she added.

“We accept cash, check or credit card,” she said. “They can call our office, before they come and we will give them that information. It also differs per party, per office. It can get complicated.”

If a candidate would like to change parties, they can do so before qualifying. However, Vining said it’s too late once they’ve filed paperwork.

To change parties, the qualifying candidate would visit the Webster Parish Registrar of Voters office.

Questions about precincts, district boundaries or to acquire a list of registered voters, the candidate can go to the Secretary of State’s website or the Registrar of Voters.

Webster Parish voters will cast ballots November 8 for U.S. representative 4th Congressional District, all Webster Parish School Board members, Justice of the Peace for District 3 (Doyline) and mayors for Minden, Springhill, Dixie Inn, Doyline and Heflin.

Also, they will vote for police chiefs in Minden, Springhill, Cotton Valley, Doyline and Heflin.

All Springhill alderman seats are up for election. One alderman seat is up in Dixie Inn, 3 in Doyline and 3 in Heflin.

All Minden City Council seats are also up for election.

  • Deadline to register to vote in person, by mail or at the OMV Office is Oct. 11.    
  • Deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is Oct. 18.
  • Early voting is Oct. 25 through Nov. 1 (excluding Sunday, Oct. 30) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Nov. 4 by 4:30 p.m (other than military and overseas voters). You can request an absentee ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office.
  • The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted absentee ballot is Nov. 7 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).
  • On election day, the polls are open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

For more information, call the clerk’s office at 318-371-0366 or the registrar’s office at 318-377-9272.

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