The more the merrier seemed to be the idea last week as a total of nine candidates qualified for the three seats up for election in late July on the Fayette County Commission. In all, eight Republicans were joined by a Democrat in the qualifying that had been delayed by by one week by federal Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr.
Up for grabs in the July 31 primary are the three expiring seats on the Fayette County Commission that includes posts 1, 2 and 3. And unlike in some years, qualifying this time around translated into contested races in all three districts.
Republicans qualifying for the Post 1 seat were incumbent Robert Horgan and small business owner Charles Oddo.
Post 2 seat qualifiers were videographer David Barlow, attorney Sheila Huddleston and former Fayette County Commissioner Jack Smith, all Republicans. Smith was defeated in his bid for a second term in 2010 by Steve Brown. Incumbent Herb Frady announced recently that he would not be seeking re-election.
Also qualifying for the Post 2 seat in the Democratic primary was CEO/investigator Neely Moody.
Republicans qualifying for the Post 3 seat included incumbent Lee Hearn, small business owner Randy Ognio and homemaker Susan Stopford.
Commission candidates qualified under the new map that specifies five commission districts rather than the three districts previously in use. To date, and unless a change related to the suit by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is forthcoming, the July 31 primary election will feature at-large voting for all commission posts.
