The 2008 general election for county commission will be historic. This will be the first time that 15 candidates will be on the ballot.

That’s because Tim Mims has officially qualified to run as an independent for the Chilton County Commission, according to Chilton County Probate Judge Bobby Martin. Mims received well more than enough signatures on his petition to run for the commission as an independent. According to state law, a candidate must get signatures from three percent of the registered voters who participated in the last election.

“I deeply appreciate everyone who signed my petition to get my name on the ballot,” Mims said.

The other candidates consist of seven Republicans and seven Democrats.

The Republicans who qualified for the general election are Allen Caton, Greg Moore, Joe Headley, Rick Mims, Carl Mims, Wyndell Patterson and Doug Price.

On the Democratic ticket, Bobby Agee, Buck Cost, Charles Ellison, Rodney Benson, Kenneth Allison, Red Turnipseed and Heedy Hayes are all running for the commission.

The commission is elected by a seven-vote cumulative voting system. The seven candidates receiving the most votes will make up the new commission.