The Webster Progress-Times

District 3 voters in Webster County will choose among nine candidates when they go to the polls in November to elect a new supervisor.

Those who met last Friday's qualifying deadline to fill the unexpired term of the late Lynn Lamb are, in alphabetical order:

€ Earl Baker

€ Dale Boatman

€ Mark Burton

€ Alvin L. "Buster" Duvall

€ Mike Gary

€ Danny Hubbard

€ Janice Lamb

€ Charles Rivers

€ Phillip Smith

They will be on the ballot of a special election set for Nov. 8 to fill the vacancy created by Lamb's death last October. The election will be to complete his term through Dec. 31, 2007. A runoff election, if necessary, will be Nov. 22 between the two candidates who receive the highest popular votes.

Janice Lamb is serving as interim supervisor after being appointed by the Board of Supervisors following her husband's death.

A countywide special election that was also scheduled for Nov. 8 to fill another vacancy will not have to be held because only one candidate qualified for that office, officials confirmed.

Eupora attorney Jan Butler was the only person who filed qualifying papers for county prosecuting attorney. That vacancy was created by the resignation of Jacqueline G. Smith, whose term also expires at the end of 2007.

Hugh Gibson, who was appointed interim county prosecutor, did not file to run as a candidate to complete Smith's term.

Circuit Clerk Deborah Hood Neal and Buchanan Meek Jr., attorney for the Board of Supervisors, said that after the county Election Commission certifies that Butler is the only candidate, the board will dispense with the election for that office.

Meek said the board can appoint Butler to fill the unexpired term as soon as it so notified, even if before Nov. 8.