Several seats up for grabs in 2020 election

With the presidential and congressional elections heating up in 2020, local residents  will also see many county seats up for grabs.
The race to be the next sheriff will see competition in the coming year. Hartwell native Tracy Mize plans to run against current Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland who has held the office since 2000.
With Tax Commissioner Burl Pierce retiring, Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner Karen Martin will take over for the rest of the year and  will have an opportunity to run as the incumbent in 2020.
Probate Judge Merry Kirk and Chief Magistrate Judge Thomas Jordan are currently in office and will have to be reelected to keep their positions in the 2020 elections.
The Clerk of Superior Court office will be up for election this year as well, a position Frankie Gray currently holds.
Coroner is up for election and Mike Adams would be the incumbent.
Surveyor will be up for reelection as well. Dean Teasley currently holds the position.
The Board of Education has three seats up for election in districts one, three and five. Lonnie Robison is the incumbent in District 1, Kim Pierce in District 3 and Dennis
Dowell is in the seat currently in District 5.
The Board of Commissioners also has three positions up for election in 2020. R.C. Oglesby’s position in District 1 is up for election. Oglesby is currently suspended after facing charges of racketeering. His future on the board is still unclear. District 3 Commissioner Marshall Sayer and District 5 Commissioner Joey Dorsey will see their positions on the ballots for 2020 as well.

Qualifying for the May 19 primary election is from 9 a.m. March 2 to noon March 6 at the Board of Elections office, 182 Cade Street in Hartwell.