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Many local candidates qualified this week for the Decatur County General Primary Election in May, with new names appearing for the Decatur County Board of Education, Decatur County Board of Commissioners and Decatur County Sheriff.

Qualifying under the Democratic Party were Cecilia Willis (I) for Clerk of Courts, Kenneth R. Hollis (I) for coroner, Wiley Griffin (I) and David Cutchin or Decatur County Sheriff, Mark Harrell (I) for Tax Commissioner, Dennis Brinson (I) for County Commission District 3 and Johnnie Mae Livingston for County Commission District 5.

Qualifying under the Republican Party were John William Kirkus for Decatur County Sheriff, Steve Brock (I) for County Commission District 2 and Bobby Barber, Jr. for County Commission District 5.

Qualifiers for non-partisan races include Kelvin Bouie (I) for Board of Education District 1, Eric L. Gay for Probate Judge, David Alan Kendrick (I) for State Court Judge, Brandon Dee Conley and Jennifer S. Nichols for Board of Education District 5, Winston Rollins for Board of Education District 3 and Maggie Rentz Smith (I) for Chief Magistrate.

Chip Nix is running as an Independent candidate for Decatur County Sheriff. As an additional requirement, Independent candidates must collect signatures from 5 percent of the registered voters in Decatur County, which is 827. The signatures are due by noon on July 14.

The General Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, May 19.