Four local races will be contested in the Polk County Primary Election in August.

Three of the races involve the Polk County Boardof Commissioners. The fourth race is a seat on the School Board of Education.

Four additional local offices, however, will not have any opposition, as only the incumbents qualified by Friday’s deadline.

Qualifying for candidates eligible for the primary election ended Friday.

The primary election is set for Tuesday, Aug. 20

Of the three contested races, the District 2 seat on the Polk County Board of Commissioners has the largest pool of qualifiers. Four Democrats are challenging incumbent Frank Lott in the primary.

They are Mark Sullins, Thomas Wray, Donnie McKibben, and J.D. “Boober” Jolly.

Also, two Republican challengers will go head to head in their primary, Angela Strickland and Leroy Peugh for the District 2 seat.

The winners of each primary will then face off again in November in the General Election.

In the District 1 Commissioner race, incumbent Mike Hooper will square off with newcomer Sandra Galloway. Both are Democrats and so the winner of this race will win by default in the General Election, as no Republican candidate has qualified to seek the seat.

In District 3, incumbent Billy Williams will be challenged by Don Williams for the third Commissioner seat.

The winner here will take the District 3 seat and run unopposed in November.

Candidates of these three races had to qualify in the districts of which they reside, but are elected countywide.

The only school board race having any opposition is for District 6, currently held by Dan Forsyth of Rockmart, a Democrat.

Betty Faye Lewis, a Democrat, has qualified to challenge for the position.

The remaining local BOE races, the incumbents, all Democrats, will not face any opposition, either in August or November.

These include District 1, Dr. Harold Wingfield; District 2, Regina Roberts; District 3, Rick Lundy; and District 7, Tommy Sanders.

Unlike the county commission races, candidates for the school board qualify and are elected solely in the district where they reside.

Only voters in District 6 will be allowed to cast ballots in that contested race.

In addition, three state Congressional seats and an U.S. Congressional seat which affect Polk County will be on the August ballot, but will not be contested until November.

Nathan Dean of Rockmart, incumbent, has qualified as a Democrat for the State Senatorial 31 District. He will be challenged by James Garner of Tallapoosa, a Republican in November.

In the State House of Representatives, incumbent Bill Cummings of Rockmart, a Democrat, will be opposed by Matt Shultz of Cartersville, a Republican. This marks Shultz’ second consecutive effort of challenging Cummings for the District 19 seat. That contest will also take place in Novemeber.

The other state race has Speaker of the House Tom Murphy, Bremen, being challenged by Bill Heath of Bremen.

Murphy, a Democrat, and Heath, a Republican, are vying for the District 18 seat of the House in the November election.

The only U.S. Congressional race that directly affects Polk will be for District 11, the newest district of the state created by the legislature.

In previous years, Polk County was a member of District 7, but this year it is now included in the Eleventh.

Five candidates are vying for representation for this newly created district, of which 17 counties are members.

In this race, two Democrats and three Republicans have qualified. George W. “Buddy” Darden of Marietta and Roger Kahn of Bartow County will square off in the Democratic Primary. On the GOP front, voters will decide between Phil Gingery of Marietta, Bob Herriott of Marietta or Cecil Stanton of Rome.

Other notable races which Polk voters will play a role in deciding involve state constitutional offices.

These are:

Governor— (Dems) Roy Barnes, incumbent; (GOP) Bill Byrne, Sonny Perdue, Linda Schrenko; (Other) Nannette Garrett, Garrett Michael Hayes and Sam Hay.

Lieutenant Governor— (Democrat) Mark Taylor, incumbent; (GOP) Elbert Bartell, Mike Beatty and Steve Stancil; (Other) Herbie Galloway.

Secretary of State—(Democrat) Cathy Cox, incumbent; (GOP) Charlie Bailey, James Mills, Jerry Wyatt; (Other) Mike Pitts.

Attorney General—(Democrat) Thurbert Baker, incumbent; (GOP) David Ralston; (Other) Patricia Lucyshyn.

State School Superintendent— No incumbent (Democrats) Theresa Bey, Barbara Christmas, Joe Martin, Phyllis Turner, Peyton Williams Jr; (GOP) Kathy Cox, Mitchell Kaye; (Other) Lynn Krogseng and Larry Wayne McNorton.

State Agriculture Commissioner— (Democrat) Tommy Irvin, incumbent; (GOP) Robert Crawford, Deana Strickland; (Other) Doug Morton.

State Insurance Commissioner—(GOP) John Oxendine, incumbent; (Dempcrat) Lois Cohen, William Randy Murray; (Other) Helmut Forren.

State Labor Commissioner—(Democrat) Mike Thurmond, incumbent; John Frank Collins; (GOP) Brent Brown, Jeb Fuller, Richard McGee; (Other) William Costa.

U.S. Senator—(Democrat) Max Cleland, incumbent; Jim Boyd; (GOP) Saxby Chambliss, Bob Irvin; (Other) Sand Thomas.