The DeKalb County Republican Party will be doing things different this upcoming election season, holding a primary instead of their customary caucus to select nominees for county elected seats. GOP officials say that with many more Republican candidates vying for nominations, the primary gives a more fair voice to voters.

According to Vester Parsley Jr., local GOP Party Vice-Treasurer, the primary will be held the same time as the Democratic primary.

“We will be doing a primary at the same time the Democrats will be having theirs in May,” Parsley said. “The Republican candidates will have to pick up a petition and get a minimum of 25 registered voters on that petition, with their correct name and address. They will file that with the Election Commission in order to get their name on the ballot.”

Parsley said that members of the DeKalb County Republican Party Executive Committee met on Saturday, November 6, at the courthouse to decide whether to schedule a caucus or primary. The primaries will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, setting the slate of Republican, Democrat, and any independent candidates for the DeKalb County General Election to be held in August.

Seats up for election are County Mayor, Sheriff, Trustee, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Road Supervisor, Register of Deeds, County Commission (Districts 1-7), County Constable (District 4- special election), and General Sessions Judge. The 13th Judicial District will also have a primary the same day to select nominees for the offices of District Attorney General, Public Defender, Chancellor, Criminal Court Judges, and Circuit Court Judges.

“It is very new for the local GOP,” Parsley said. “I cannot recall we (local Republicans) ever having a primary. The reason we decided to have a primary is because we had several offices in which more than one candidate have announced that they want to run for a particular position. Therefore, we felt it was a more fair and equitable way to let the public have a voice, rather than our delegated or open convention type process.”

“The field is open for any Republican who wants to run for any office,” Parsley continued. “They just need to get a petition from the Election Commission and get their names up. We suggest that they get 25 names so they can make sure to have enough valid names on their petitions, so they won’t get rejected.”

The election commission office will begin issuing candidate petitions for the May 3, 2022 primaries on Monday, December 20. The qualifying deadline is noon on February 17, 2022.