The four announced candidates for Richmond County sheriff and two for Augusta Circuit district attorney each have qualified to run.
Thursday, Richard Dixon, the veteran lawman running as an independent qualified with Richmond County Board of Elections to run for sheriff.
Dixon recently retired from Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training after a career spent training law enforcement.
Dixon needs to gather nearly 7,000 signatures from registered voters to get his name on the Nov. 5 ballot. There, he would face the winner of the May 21 Democratic primary.
Gathering the petition signatures has been “steady,” Dixon said. He has several locations in south Augusta and Hephzibah and expects it to pick up ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
Qualifying ends at noon Friday.
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The three Democrats running for sheriff qualified earlier this week at Democratic Party headquarters, said Jordan Johnson, chairman of the county party.
Richard Roundtree, sheriff since 2012, qualified Monday. Also qualifying were former deputy and retired Federal Air Marshal Clarence “Bo” Johnson and Eugene “Gino Rock” Brantley, who worked 16 years for the sheriff’s office before moving to the Richmond County Marshal’s Office seven years ago.
The primary winner must get 50% of votes to avoid a runoff.
Augusta DA challenger qualifies to run
In the election for Augusta Circuit District Attorney, incumbent Jared Williams qualified earlier in the week for the Democratic primary.
Challenger Amber Brantley, an assistant district attorney for the Columbia County Judicial Circuit, qualified to challenge Williams in the primary Thursday, according to a Facebook post.
In remaining Richmond County Democratic races, only one candidate each has qualified to run for Clerk of Superior Court, incumbent Hattie Holmes Sullivan; Coroner, incumbent Mark Bowen; T. Chris Johnson, incumbent tax commissioner; incumbent Coroner Mark Bowen, and incumbent Solicitor General Omeeka Loggins.
Only one candidate has emerged in the election for Richmond County Judge of Probate Court to replace Harry James, who is retiring. She is attorney Stacy Johnson.
