The News Observer, Friday, August 2, 2002 

By Dwight Otwell
Staff Writer

Fannin County Commission Chairman Dr. Richard Vollrath and two Southern Party candidates qualified this week to run for county commission seats in the November election.

Vollrath qualified Monday as an independent candidate for the commission chairman post he currently holds. Mike Crane qualified Tuesday as a member of the Southern Party to run for the chairman position.

Billy E. Butt qualified Monday to run for the Post 2 county commission seat held by Commissioner Yvonne McNelley. Monday was the earliest date independents and political party candidates, other than Republican and Democrat, could file notice of candidacy.

Petitions from independents and political body candidates, other than Republican and Democrat, must be turned in Aug. 5, said Fannin County Registrar Carol Walker.

“We will check the petitions in a very timely manner,” said Evelyn Panter, vice-chairwoman of the Fannin County Board of Registration and Elections.

Crane, Butt and Vollrath have to turn in petitions with 567 signatures each. Five percent of the 11,344 registered voters from the last county commission race must sign petitions for a candidate to run as an independent or as a member of a political body, other than Democrat or Republican.

Independent candidates won’t be on the Aug. 20 primary ballot but will be guaranteed a spot on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

County positions up for election this year are the county commission chairman post and the two commission posts. Also the school board positions held by Alisa Stanley and Angela Panter are up for election.

Running on the Republican ticket for chairman of the board of commissioners is Cline Bowers Jr. No Democrat is running for chairman.

Running as Republicans for the Post 1 commission seat are incumbent Randy Collins and John Pearson. Running as a Democrat is Howard Slaughter.

Running on the Republican ticket for the Post 2 position are incumbent Yvonne McNelley, Steve Morris and James A. Ross. Running as a Democrat for Post 2 is John E. Foster.

Republicans running for the school board seat held by Alisa Stanley are Gina Marie Adams, Ricky Garren and Greg S. Hampton. Terry Arp is running as a Democrat for the position.

Republicans running for Angela Panter’s school board position are Bobby J. Bearden, Derek Doyle Davis, Jeff Kaylor and incumbent Angela Panter. Running on the Democratic ticket for the school board position is Gerald Williamson.

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