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Five-man field set for Macon-Bibb mayor's race

Bibb County voters will also decide a mayor's race between David Davis and J.T. Ricketson and eight county commission races

MACON, Ga. — There are now five official candidates to qualify for Macon-Bibb mayor.

Lawyer Lester Miller and developer Cliffard Whitby qualified Wednesday afternoon, joining county commissioner Larry Schlesinger and businessman Blake Sullivan in the race.

A fifth candidate qualified Friday morning: He is retired banker Marc Whitfield.

Retired educator Dinah Webb also signed up for run as a write-in candidate. Her name will not appear on the ballot.

In other races, veteran GBI investigator J.T. Ricketson qualified to challenge Bibb County Sheriff David Davis in this year's election.

Unlike most county elections, the sheriff's race is a partisan contest. Davis qualified as a Democrat and Ricketson as a Republican.

If either one gets a challenger from the same party, they'll have to win a May 19 primary. Then the sheriff's race will be decided in November.

Davis has been sheriff since 2012, while Ricketson has been special agent in charge of the GBI's Perry office since 2012.

There are more than a dozen races for county commission, school board, water authority and other posts.

Here is the complete list of qualified candidates:

MAYOR

Lester Miller, attorney

Larry Schlesinger, rabbi and county commissioner

Blake Sullivan, businessman

Cliffard Whitby, developer

Dinah Webb, educator (write-in candidate)

COUNTY COMMISSION

DISTRICT 1

John Adams Jr., sales manager

Valerie Wynn (incumbent)

DISTRICT 2

Paul Bronson, U.S. Army Reserve

Willie Frazier, advocate for citizens of Macon-Bibb

Weston Stroud, transit planner

DISTRICT 3

Elaine Lucas, educator (incumbent)

DISTRICT 4

Mallory Jones, Realtor (incumbent)

George Thomas, office and leasing manager

DISTRICT 5

Seth Clark, small-business owner

Louie Hargrove, retired

Carlton Kitchens, self-employed

Erion Smith, personal-development mentor

DISTRICT 6

Robert Abbott, retired manager

Donald Druitt, retired (former Bibb County emergency-management director)

Raymond Wilder, insurance adjuster

DISTRICT 7

Billy Howell, retired

Tim Rivers, entrepreneur

Bonnie Thompson, retired

DISTRICT 8

Stacy Jenkins, research and substitute teacher

Michele Parks, residential case manager

Virgil Watkins, real-estate agent (incumbent)

DISTRICT 9

Brendalyn Bailey, business technology instructor

Al "Tiger" Tillman, booking agent (incumbent)

SHERIFF

David Davis (incumbent) (Democrat)

J.T. Ricketson, GBI special agent in charge (Republican)

CORONER

Leon Jones (incumbent)

TAX COMMISSIONER

Wade McCord (incumbent)

SUPERIOR COURT CLERK

Erica Woodford (incumbent)

PROBATE COURT JUDGE

Sarah Harris, incumbent

STATE COURT SOLICITOR

Rebecca Grist (incumbent)

BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 1

Tera Edwards, self employed

Myrtice Champion Johnson, retired principal

Michael McKeever, logistics manager

BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 2

Thelma Dillard, retired educator (incumbent)

BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 3

Kristin Hanlon, banker

Larry Tard, retired military/minister

BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 4

Juawn Jackson, pre-college counselor

BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 5

Jill Thomley, social worker

Sundra Woodford,neighborhood-revitalization manager

BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 6

James Freeman, attorney

Albert Hall, retired

MACON WATER AUTHORITY, DISTRICT 2

Desmond Brown, senior claims analyst

Merritt Johnson, insurance agent (incumbent)

Mike McIntosh, teacher sub

MACON WATER AUTHORITY, DISTRICT 3

Dwight Jones, self-employed (incumbent)

For updated lists of qualifiers statewide, you can check the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

RELATED: Mayor Robert Reichert gives last State of the Community address

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RELATED: Lester Miller, Blake Sullivan lead the money race for Macon-Bibb mayor

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