Qualifying for local, state and federal office is taking place this week for eligible residents wishing to be candidates in the upcoming General Primary Election and Nonpartisan Election set for Tuesday, May 19.
As this is a mid-term election, there are only three county-level seats up for grabs in 2026, all of them on the Union County Board of Education, specifically Districts 2, 4 and 5 that are currently held by Tony Hunter, Jason McCarter and Patrick White, respectively.
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Anyone wishing to qualify as a School Board candidate will need to do so from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, March 2, through Thursday, March 5, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, March 6. The qualifying fee for School Board is $153, due at the time of application.
Local qualifying was originally set to occur inside the Union County Courthouse. But due to roof replacement construction, the courthouse was closed to start the week, so qualifying has been moved to the Union County Elections & Registration Center at 33 Roscoe Collins Drive.
Republican Party candidates have been asked to submit to an interview prior to qualifying. For more info, contact the Republican Committee by texting 713-819-2547 or emailing ucgagop@gmail.com.
To inquire about qualifying as a Democrat, email ucdemocrats@gmail.com.
At the state level, there are plenty of other qualifying opportunities, including the Georgia Senate, House of Representatives, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State School Superintendent, District Attorney, multiple levels of judgeship, and more.
There are some federal offices up for election this year as well, including for U.S. House of Representatives and one U.S. Senate position.
Residents can find a full list of offices, qualifications, forms, fees and qualifying locations for state and federal positions, plus a host of other useful information, by visiting https://sos.ga.gov/candidate-qualifying-elected-office.
Political party candidates who succeed in the May 19 Republican and Democratic primaries will advance as nominees to the Nov. 3 General Election to square off against rivals from opposing parties.
The deadline to register to vote in the May 19 elections is April 20, and the deadline to register for the Nov. 3 election is Oct. 5.
