Qualifying began Wednesday for the upcoming county election with several candidates coming in to pay the qualifying fee.

Spalding County Elections Supervisor Terry Colling said the following candidates turned in their paperwork and paid the fee, as of 4 p.m. Wednesday to run in the July 31 election:

• Incumbents Coroner Sonny Foster, Chief Magistrate Rita Cavanaugh, State Court Judge Sid Esary, Tax Commissioner Sylvia Hollums, District 2 Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education member James Westbury, District 4 Spalding County Board of Commissioners member Eddie Freeman and District 4 Board of Education member Barbara Jo Cook.

• Challengers Jan Hunt, Kaye Landrum Norris and Cary Pope for Probate Court judge, a seat currently held by Judge DeWitt Simonton, who has announced that he is not running for re-election; Edith Ray for clerk of Superior Court; and Michael Renew and Gregory McClarin for the District 3 Board of Commissioners seat, currently held by Bob Gilreath, who has previously said he would not be running for re-election.

For the July 31 election, voters will be asked to select candidates for the following countywide posts — sheriff, clerk of Superior Court, tax commissioner, coroner, State Court judge, chief magistrate judge and Probate Court judge. By district, voters will also get to select county commissioners in districts 1, 3 and 4, and school board members in districts 2 and 4.

Voters have until July 2 to register to vote in the July 31 election and a runoff, if needed, on Aug. 21.

Candidates can qualify at the Office of Elections and Registration, Room 110 in the Spalding County Courthouse Annex, 119 E. Solomon St., from 8 a.m., to 5 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to noon Friday.

Candidates for sheriff, clerk of Superior Court, tax commissioner, coroner and county commissioner have to qualify with the political party of their choice during that time. Colling said representatives from both parties will be available in the Elections Office during qualifying.

Nonpartisan candidates, those for the Board of Education, State Court judge, chief magistrate judge and Probate Court judge, will qualify with Colling.

The qualifying fees, based by state law on 3 percent of the base salary for each elected position are as follows:

• $4,218.86 for State Court judge;

• $2,270.25 for sheriff;

• $1,894.94 for clerk of Superior Court, tax commissioner, Probate Court judge and chief magistrate;

• $814.90 for coroner;

• $360 for county commissioner;

• $250.56 for school board member.