Monday was the first day of qualifying for the May 22 general primary election and six people have since submitted paperwork to run for office in Dawson County.

Incumbent District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett qualified to run for a second term on Monday. 

Fausett, a Dawson County native who retired from the Dawson County Department of Family and Children Services, announced she would be running during a commission work session Feb. 8.

Retired Dawson County Emergency Services Chief Tim Satterfield qualified for the District 3 Commission seat on Monday.

Satterfield announced he would be running for the seat Feb. 12 after Jimmy Hamby, current District 3 commissioner, announced he would not seek a third term. Satterfield is a 41-year fire service veteran and retired from Dawson County after nearly 13 years of service.

Scott Allen also qualified for the District 3 Commission seat Monday. Allen's occupation is listed as a retailer.

Both Satterfield and Allen qualified to run as Republican.

Satterfield said Monday that he will host a meet and greet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 8 in the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Gordon Pirkle Room.

Incumbent District 3 Board of Education member Karen Armstrong qualified Monday as well. Armstrong, who works at the University of North Georgia in the Military Science Department with the Corps of Cadets, announced in February that she would be running.

Joe Stapp also qualified for the District 3 BOE seat Monday. Stapp is the owner and licensed psychotherapist at Blue Ridge Counseling in Dawsonville.

Incumbent at-large BOE member Will Wade qualified on Tuesday. 

State and federal candidates have also begun qualifying.

Incumbent District 9 State Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) qualified on Monday, as did challenger Mark Hajduk. A resident of north Forsyth and career businessman, Hajduk currently works as chief operating officer at Voxpopuli Inc. in Norcross, which is a marketing, graphic design and print production company.

As of press time, State Senator for District 51, Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), had yet to qualify.

Incumbent District 9 U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Gainesville) qualified Monday, as did challenger Josh McCall, a teacher from Gainesville who qualified to run for the Democratic party.

Dave Cooper also qualified to run for the seat on Tuesday. Cooper retired from the U.S. Army and lives in Clayton. He qualified as a Democrat. 

Several other state offices are up for election this year, including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, commissioner of agriculture, commissioner of insurance, commissioner of labor and state school superintendent.

Dawson County qualifying will continue through March 9. All qualifying will take place at the Dawson County Board of Elections, located at 96 Academy Ave. in Dawsonville, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. March 6-8 and between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. March 9.

Qualifying fees are set at $288 for the commission seats and $106 for the board of education seats. The commissioners and BOE board members will serve four-year terms.

The voter registration deadline is April 24. Citizens can go online at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov to register to vote, check their voter status or update their voter information. Registration applications can also be completed at the board of elections office.

Advance voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30 through May 18, with Saturday voting held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 12.

April 3 is the first day for absentee ballots to be mailed, and applications can be requested now.

Ballots can be mailed until 5 p.m. May 18.

The board of elections can be reached at (706)344-3640.