CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — The qualifying period for several Habersham County offices closed at noon Friday, setting the field for local races that will appear on the May 19 general primary ballot.
Candidates qualified this week for two Habersham County Board of Commissioners seats and three positions on the Habersham County Board of Education. Qualifying ran March 2–6 at the Habersham County Elections and Voter Registration Office in Cornelia.
County Commission District 2
Two candidates qualified for the District 2 seat on the Habersham County Board of Commissioners: Andrea Harper of Baldwin and Shelley A. Tullis of Mt. Airy.
The winner will replace current District 2 Commissioner Dustin Mealor, who is not seeking reelection.
Harper previously served on the Habersham County Commission from 2011 to 2019 and at one point was elected chair of the board. She announced earlier this year that she intends to serve as a full-time commissioner if elected.
Tullis also entered the race this year, setting up a Republican primary contest for the seat.
County Commission District 3
Two candidates qualified for the District 3 commission seat: Jason Mark Smith and Danny McClellon, both of Cornelia.
The race will fill the seat previously held by longtime Commissioner Jimmy Tench, who resigned earlier this year. County commissioners later called a special election to fill the vacancy.
Smith announced his candidacy shortly after Tench stepped down and praised the longtime commissioner’s service to the county. Tench had represented District 3 for more than two decades before leaving office.
Smith and McClellon will compete in the Republican primary for the seat, which is also listed as a special election on the ballot.
Board of Education races
Three seats on the Habersham County Board of Education drew candidates during the qualifying period, but all three incumbents qualified and will run unopposed.
Russell H. Nelson III qualified for the District 3 seat, Darlene T. Hudson qualified for District 4, and Joseph Lee Duncan qualified for District 5.
Because no challengers entered those races, the three incumbents are expected to retain their seats.
What’s next
The candidates who qualified this week will appear on the May 19, 2026, general primary ballot. If necessary, a runoff would be held later in the summer under Georgia election law.
Voters can find more information about the election and upcoming voting dates through the Habersham County Elections and Voter Registration Office.
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