No one has filed for Polk County elections since the second day of filing last week.
Candidates will have until next Friday, Feb. 26 at noon to file.
Seats are open for the Polk County Board of Commissioners (three seats), Polk County Sheriff, Polk County Clerk of Court and Polk County Board of Education (four seats).
So far, current Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill (D) has filed, as well as newcomers Nathan Shields (R) and Gregg Osteen (R). Incumbent Polk County Clerk of Court Charlene Owens (D) filed last week with no challengers yet to file.
The commissioners seats of Ray Gasperson (D), Warren Watson (D) and Tommy Melton (Independent) will be open this year. Gasperson filed last week as well as newcomer Ricky McFalls (D). Melton switched his affilitation last year to unaffiliated from Democrat and will be required to obtain 587 signatures to file. Unaffiliated candidates will have until June of this year to turn in their petitions.
Incumbent school board members Geoff Tennant (Columbus), Judy Jackson (Coopers Gap) and Sherry Page (Green Creek) filed last week. Tryon representative James Cowans seat will also be open this year.
The deadline for residents to register or change affiliations is April 9, although registration can also be done during one-stop voting which begins on April 15 prior to a May 4 primary. The regular election will be held on Nov. 2.
Filing for office can be done at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus during regular office hours between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.