Residents casting ballots in the general election in November may have three choices when it comes to the District 1 seat on the Bryan County Board of Education.

In addition to incumbent Joe Kendrick and Noah Covington, who filed last week for the seat as a Democrat and Republican, respectively, former commissioner Rufus "Ed" Bacon is hoping to run as an independent candidate.

Though the qualifying period for party-affiliated candidates closed May 25, those who want to seek office with no party affiliation have some extra time, according to Sam Davis, the county elections superintendent.

To get on the November ballot as an independent, a petition bearing the signatures of 5 percent of the registered voters in the district in question must be turned in to the elections superintendent between July 30 and Aug. 3, Davis said.

Once a petition is filed, Davis must go through and make sure each name is in fact a registered voter living in the district — in this case District 1.

Read the full story in the June 2 issue of the Bryan County News.