More Republicans have qualified to run for local office in the June primary, with the first two Democratic candidates filing paperwork to get on the ballot for Cullman County coroner and Alabama State House District 9.

Incumbents Sen. Paul Bussman and District Judge Rusty Tuner qualified this week to run for reelection with no opposition officially announced yet. In other GOP races, Alex Chaney, Kerry Neighbors and Andy Coffey qualified to run for District 9, Alabama State House of Representatives, the Cullman County Board of Education’s Good Hope district and for Cullman County Associate Commissioner for the west side, respectively. 

On the Democratic ticket, Gary Murphree has decided to run for Cullman County Coroner — an office he’s held for four terms — and will face incumbent Republican Jeremy Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick, then a deputy coroner, beat Murphree, who had four decades of experience due to his time as coroner and working for Moss Service Funeral Home, in a lopsided victory in 2014 that Muphree attributed to straight-ticket voting by Republicans.

Terrie Jones Savage, the sister of U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Alabama), also announced this week she will run for the District 9 Alabama House seat as a Democrat. Incumbent Republican Rep. Ed Henry isn’t running for reelection, and three Republican candidates Justin Morrow, James Bowling and Scott Stadthagen have qualified to run.

The deadline to qualify as a Republican or Democratic candidate is 5 p.m., Friday.

To qualify to run for office, a person must be a registered voter and live within the jurisdiction their seeking to be elected. Some offices may require other qualifications, including certain timelines of residency. For more information about qualifying contact the county Republican and Democrat parties.

Primaries will be June 5, with a primary runoff scheduled for July 17 and the general election Nov. 6.

County offices up for election are both associate Cullman County commissioners, sheriff, coroner, revenue commissioner and school board representatives for Fairview, Vinemont, Good Hope and Hanceville.

State offices that will be up for election are Cullman County Circuit clerk, probate judge, both Cullman County circuit judges and the district judgeship currently held by Wells “Rusty” Turner, state representatives districts 9, 11 and 12 and state senate District 4.

Here’s a rundown of other local candidates to qualify to run in 2018:

On the Democratic ballot, James Fields is running for governor.

On the GOP ballot, incumbent Corey Harbison for Alabama State House District 12; incumbent Randall Shedd for Alabama State House District 11; incumbent Lisa McSwain for Circuit Clerk; incumbent Greg Nicholas for Circuit Judge; incumbent Martha Williams for Circuit Judge; incumbent Tammy Brown for probate judge; incumbent Matt Gentry for sheriff; incumbent Mike Graves for county school board representing Vinemont; Bill Ballew for county school board representing Fairview; incumbent Kenny Brockman for county school board representing Hanceville; and incumbent Kerry Watson for associate commissioner for east side.

Any person interested in running for the Cullman County Republican Executive Committee during in the June primary must also qualify by Feb. 9. GOP Chairman Waid Harbison will be at the Busy Bee Cafe Saturday from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. with qualifying forms available.

Members can run at large county wide, in the county school district they live in, in the city of Cullman, or on the east or west side of the county. A total of 25 members will be elected in the primary. If you cannot make it Saturday to qualify, contact Waid Harbison at 256-708-1650.

Tiffeny Owens can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 135.