By: Eddy Gifford, Publisher

It looks like it will be a very busy campaign season in Dade County as a total of 28 people qualified for local office last week.

Of the 28 qualifiers, 20 were Republicans, three Democrats and four are in non-patrician offices.

Those in non-patrician offices are Joel McCormick who will be unopposed for Chief Magistrate Judge.

Tax Commissioner Jane I Moreland (D); County Commission Chairperson Ted Rumley (R); County Commissioner District 3 Robert Goff (R); and County Board of Education District 4 Carolyn Bradford (R) have no opposition and will all have another term in office.

The office of Judge of Probate Court has three Republicans seeking the office being vacated by the retiring Jan Ellison. Kerri Bray Carter, David W. Duvall, Jr., and Roxie J. Thompson are all hoping to replace Ellison.

A large field will try to unseat Dade County Sheriff Patrick Cannon (R) who is seeking a third term. Nathan Baker, Ray G. Cross and Tim McDonald are all running as Republicans while former Sheriff Philip Street qualified as a Democrat.

County Commission District 4 will have Allan L. Bradford (R) looking to unseat Peter Cervelli (R), who is seeking a second term on the Commission,

Kathy D. Page (R) will be looking to keep her job as Superior Court Clerk, while former employee Beverly Floyd (R) and Carolyn Bradford Lane (R) are also seek the position.

The Dade County Board of Education will have the most candidates in recent memory this year as eight people qualified for two of the three contested spots.

The District 5 (At Large) has the most candidates. David Powell (R) will be seeking a full term after being appointed by the board to fill the unexpired term of David Swader. Also seeking the District 5 spot will be Careyee Bell (R), Joseph Chambers (R), Zachary Ditmar (R) and Dallas Walker (R).

The County Board of Education District 3 seat will have incumbent Ronnie Page (R) facing Johnny Warren (R) and Julie Williams (R). Page is seeking a second term on the Board.