Since no Democratic candidate qualified for Senate District 13, there was no Democratic primary for the seat. Handel said the Special Primary will be held only for the Republican nomination as provided for in the law. The qualifying period for those wishing to seek the office is 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. July 16; 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on July 17; and 8 a.m. until noon on July 18. Qualifying will be held in the Elections Division of the Office of Secretary of State, 1104 West Tower, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E., Atlanta, GA 30334-1505 and in the Secretary of State’s South Georgia Office at 238 E. Second St. in Tifton. The qualifying fee is $400.

Advance voting for the Special Primary will be held July 28 through Aug. 1. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Aug. 5 in Ben Hill, Crisp, Irwin, Lee, Tift, Turner and Worth counties and in a portion of Wilcox County.

Anyone residing in state Senate District 13 who is not registered to vote can do so through July 8 to be eligible to vote in the Special Primary Election. Voter registration forms can be obtained in Tift County at Election Central and at the Tifton-Tift County Public Library. Voter registration forms can also be obtained from the Secretary of State’s Web site at http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/voter_registration/voter_reg_app.htm

To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.