Candidates Qualify for County General Election

The deadline officially passed last week to file papers and qualify as candidates in this year’s County General Election. Some incumbents, along with several new faces, have qualified to be on the ballot on Thursday, August 6th, 2026.

The county offices up for election this year are County Executive, Trustee, Circuit Court Clerk, County Clerk, Register of Deeds, Road Superintendent, Sheriff, County Commissioner Districts 1-7, and School Board Member Districts 2, and 5. Each of these offices carries a four-year term.

The Republican Primary Election, called for by the Wayne County Republican Party, has changed things up a bit this year. Candidates wishing to run under the Republican banner must declare themselves as Republicans and will be on the ballot for the May 5th Republican Primary Election. This will narrow the field of Republicans on the ballot for the August 6th County General Election down to one candidate. If all qualifying candidates declare themselves as Republicans, the Primary Election will essentially decide the election. Any candidates who qualified to run but do not wish to declare a Republican party affiliation will automatically be listed on the August ballot as Independents.

Four people have qualified to run for the Wayne County Executive’s office, all declaring themselves Republicans. Incumbent Jim Mangubat is pursuing a re-election bid, and three more have thrown their hats in the ring: Phillip Casteel, John McDonald, and Colby Staggs. This is an office which will be decided in the May 5th Primary Election since all candidates are declared Republicans.

Sheila Rich, incumbent Wayne County Trustee, is the only candidate who qualified to be on the ballot for the office of Trustee, and she will retain her seat. Rich has declared herself as a Republican.

Three other incumbent county officials who qualified and will be running unopposed as Republicans in the County General Election are Sheriff Shane Fisher; Register of Deeds, Tyler Strait; and Road Superintendent Chuck Moser.

Incumbent County Court Clerk Stan Horton announced his retirement this year and is not seeking re-election. Two candidates new to county politics qualified to be on the ballot for Horton’s seat: James “Ronnie” Skelton and Jessica Sledge Columbia. Both are declared Republicans.

Two candidates qualified to be on the ballot for the office of Circuit Court Clerk: incumbent Carol Warren and political newcomer Emily Crews Maghielse. Both have declared themselves as Republicans; therefore, the Republican Primary Election will decide this office as well.

The Wayne County Commission will look much different after the August 6th County General Election. Two seats in each of Wayne County’s seven districts will be filled, with Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5 to be newcomers to the Wayne County political scene.

There are three candidates who qualified to be on the ballot in District 1: incumbent Logan Shull, and two newcomers, Cory Moser and Paxton Prince. All three have declared themselves as Republicans, so the two District 1 seats will be decided in the May 5th primary.

Voters in District 2 won’t get the chance to vote in the Republican Primary. Two candidates qualified to be on the ballot, and neither declared a party affiliation. Randy Burns and Jake Littrell will be the only candidates for District 2 on the ballot in the August County General Election, and both will be elected to fill the two District 2 seats on the Wayne County Commission.

Voters in District 3 will not be voting in the Republican Primary either. David “Shorty” Horner is the only qualified candidate who declared himself as a Republican. Horner will face off against three Independent candidates for the two District 3 seats in the County General Election: Caleb J. Cummings, Charity Treadwell Horton, and Joe Kent.

The Republican Primary Election will decide the two seats in District 4. Three political newcomers qualified to be on the ballot and declared themselves as Republicans: Josh Davis, Kenneth “Buddy” Hill, and Gunner Rich.

All four candidates who qualified to be on the ballot and compete for the two seats in District 5 are newcomers to Wayne County politics. Two have declared themselves as Republicans and will be on the ballot for the Republican Primary: Victoria Lanier and Daniel Potete. The winner of the Republican Primary will be on the ballot in the August 6th County General Election and will be up against the two Independent candidates, Jeremy W. Robbins and Derrek Sherrill.

Incumbent David Martin qualified to retain his District 6 seat on the Wayne County Commission. Two other candidates, both political newcomers, qualified to be on the ballot as well, Clayton Cross and Rickey Wright. All three candidates are declared Republicans, so the two seats will be decided in the May 5th Republican Primary.

Voters in District 7 will see a Republican and two Independents on the ballot in August but will not vote in the May 5th Republican Primary. Incumbent Commissioner Alvin Creecy is the only declared Republican who qualified to run. He will face off against political newcomers Ronnie Hobbs and Eric Warren, the Independent candidates to be on the August ballot.

Two seats on the Wayne County School Board, District 2 and District 5, will be on the ballot in August. Incumbent Board Member Mark R. Staggs qualified to run for re-election as an Independent. Newcomer Chelsea Bailey Prince, also running as an Independent, qualified as the only candidate for District 5.

Candidates who make the decision to withdraw their name from the ballot have until Thursday, February 26th, to do so.

The last day to register in person to vote in the Republican Primary Election is Monday, April 6th, 2026.

Three incumbent Waynesboro City Commissioners, Christopher L. Bevis, Tony L. Creasy, and Jeffery Lynn Howell, have qualified to be on the ballot in the Municipal Election on August 6th. Candidates for municipal (city) seats are not required to select a party affiliation.

Anyone with questions about the election or voting process may call the Wayne County Election Commission Office at 931-722-3517.

Watch upcoming editions of The Wayne County News for candidate profiles in our “Meet the Candidates” series. These profiles give citizens the opportunity to find out more about the candidates’ positions on relevant topics and goals for our cities and our counties.