Qualifying begins Monday in Harlem

Those interested in running for Harlem mayor or the city council can qualify for the November election next week.

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Harlem Mayor Bobby Culpepper and Councilmen John Thigpen and Rudolph Dixon are up for re-election on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Culpepper took office in July 2008 after running unopposed to fill the unexpired term of Scott Dean, who resigned to run for the county commission.

The owner of Culpepper Ford in Thomson said he plans to run for re-election.

Dixon, a retired Methodist minister, said he intends to seek a sixth term on the city council.

Thigpen plans to go for a third term. He's a senior operator at DSM Chemical in Augusta and is a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician in Thomson.

"I'm enjoying it too much," Thigpen said. "We've got a lot of stuff going on, so I'm going to run again. We're hoping we can keep things moving in the right direction. Hopefully, the citizens agree. We'll see."

Qualifying runs from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Aug. 30 through Sept. 1.

To qualify, candidates must submit a written application and a qualifying fee at city hall, 320 N. Louisville St., Harlem.

The fee for the mayoral race is $144. It's $108 for city council candidates.

A candidate must have resided in the city for at least a year, be a registered voter and be at least 21 before the election.

Voters must live inside the city and be registered to vote. Voters must be registered by Oct. 4 to be eligible to particpate in the Nov. 2 general election.