Four qualify to run for Shelby County Sheriff, four incumbents unopposed

The Friday, Feb. 7 qualification deadline has passed, and eight Republican candidates are slated to run for various offices in Shelby County’s 2014 local elections. The Shelby County Democratic Party did not have any qualifying candidates for these elections.

Current Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry is not seeking re-election, and four candidates have qualified to seek his seat. Those candidates are Larry McDow, Hoover Police Captain Kip Cole, Shelby County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Samaniego and investigative firm owner Rick Needham.

Four incumbent candidates will be running unopposed: Diana Steele New for coroner, Don Armstrong for property tax commissioner, Randy Fuller for superintendent of education and Peg Hill for school board member.

Two Republican candidates, Daniel A. Crowson and Dave Roper, have also qualified to run for Shelby County District Judge for Place 2.

Most of the qualifying candidates for state elections were also from the Republican Party. The candidates for the District 43 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, currently held by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, are John Bahakel, Cheryl Ciamarra, Doug Clark, Gina McDonald, Arnold Mooney, Don Murphy and Amie Beth Shaver. The District 73 seat has two qualified candidates, Matt Fridy and Jody Trautwein.

Incumbents who will be running unopposed include District 15’s Allen Farley, District 41’s Mike Hill, District 45’s Dickie Drake, District 48’s Jim Carns and District 49’s April Weaver.

The state Senate seat for District 11 is also up for election with two candidates, Jim McClendon and Jerry Fielding. One Democrat, Cindy Bell, will be running for the District 16 seat against Republican incumbent J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner. District 14’s Cam Ward and District 15’s Slade Blackwell will be running unopposed.

The Alabama primary election will be held on Tuesday, June 3, and the general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 4.