Augusta-area attorney Willie Saunders did not qualify to run for district attorney, which hands the election to interim DA Ashley Wright.
His missing the deadline was among some surprises on the final day of qualifying for local, state and federal elections.
Jimmie Lee Sullivan showed up at Richmond County Democratic headquarters at the 11th hour Friday to qualify to run for sheriff without required certified documents. He had his high-school diploma, as required by law, but it had not been certified, according to party Chairman Lowell Greenbaum.
Mr. Saunders, 38, said Friday afternoon that he arrived at the secretary of state's office with his cashier's check but missed the noon deadline by five minutes.
He had been delayed from making the trip to Atlanta earlier in the week because of a death in the family.
Mr. Saunders worked at the district attorney's office for eight years and went into private practice in 2003. He was appointed a part-time juvenile court judge in January 2007.
Ms. Wright, who the governor picked last month to fill the district attorney's office vacated by Daniel Craig's appointment to the Superior Court bench, qualified to run as the Republican candidate earlier this week.
No one qualified to run in the election as a Democrat, according to the secretary of state's Web page.
Ms. Wright, 40, has worked at the office for nearly 12 years. It is responsible for prosecuting felony offenses and other duties in Richmond, Columbia and Burke counties.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
WHO QUALIFIED FOR THE ELECTIONS?
Candidates for Richmond County and Columbia County local and state offices, and candidates for the 10th and 12th congressional districts:
10TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL:
Incumbent Paul Broun, R, Athens
Barry Fleming, R, Harlem
Bobby Saxon, D, Nicholson
12TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL:
Incumbent John Barrow, D, Savannah
Regina D. Thomas, D, Savannah
Ben Crystal, R, Savannah
Ray McKinney, R, Rincon
John Stone, R, Augusta
DISTRICT 22 STATE SENATE:
Incumbent Ed Tarver, D
Marion Williams, D, Augusta
John Butler, R, Augusta
DISTRICT 23 STATE SENATE:
Incumbent J.B. Powell, D, Blythe
Napoleon Jenkins, R, Tennile
DISTRICT 24 STATE SENATE:
Incumbent Bill Jackson, R, Appling
DISTRICT 117 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Lee Anderson, R, Grovetown
Brett McGuire, R, Appling
DISTRICT 118 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Ben Harbin, R, Evans
Lee Benedict, R, Augusta
DISTRICT 119 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Barbara Sims, R, Augusta
DISTRICT 120 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Quincy Murphy, D, Augusta
DISTRICT 121 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Wayne Howard, D, Augusta
DISTRICT 122 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Hardie Davis, D, Augusta
DISTRICT 123 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Gloria Frazier, D, Hephzibah
A.K. Hasan, D, Hephzibah
DISTRICT 124 STATE REPRESENTATIVE:
Incumbent Helen "Sistie" Hudson, D, Sparta
Scott Nutial, R, Thomson
DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AUGUSTA CIRCUIT:
Incumbent Ashley Wright, R, Augusta
RICHMOND COUNTY
SHERIFF:
Incumbent Ronald Strength, D
CLERK OF COURT:
Incumbent Elaine Johnson, D
CHIEF JUDGE OF CIVIL AND MAGISTRATE COURT:
Incumbent William D. Jennings III, D
PRESIDING JUDGE OF CIVIL AND MAGISTRATE COURT:
Incumbent H. Scott Allen, D
PROBATE COURT:
Incumbent Isaac Jolles
TAX COMMISSIONER:
Tommy Boyles, D
Steven Kendrick, D
Sanford Loyd, D
CORONER:
Incumbent Grover Tuten
STATE COURT SOLICITOR:
Incumbent Harold V. Jones II
COLUMBIA COUNTY
SHERIFF:
Incumbent Clay Whittle, R
CHIEF MAGISTRATE:
Incumbent Wade Padgett, R
CORONER:
Incumbent Vernon Collins, R
CLERK OF COURT:
Incumbent Cindy Mason, R
PROBATE JUDGE:
Incumbent Pat Hardaway, R
TAX COMMISSIONER:
Incumbent Kay Allen
COLUMBIA COUNTY COMMISSION:
District 2
Trey Allen, R
District 3:
Charles Allen, R
Deanne Hall, R
District 4:
Scott Dean, R
David Payne, R
Harlem Mayor:
Bobby Culpepper
Grovetown City Council:
Barry Davis
Theopolis Knight
-- Compiled by Staff Writers Sylvia Cooper and Donnie Fetter and Morris News Service reports
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