By Billy Davis

District 2 Supervisor Vernice Avant has qualified to run for re-election.

And she’s got competition.

Along with Avant, candidates Paul Henderson, Keith Mothershed and Tim Holliday have also submitted qualifying papers to the circuit clerk’s office.

With the qualifying deadline – it is September 4 – still a summer away, the entry of three competitors shows at least some interest in the District 2 seat.

The special election for the District 2 seat is set for November 3.

The September 4 deadline, per state law, comes 60 days before Election Day.

 Avant’s decision to run for re-election ended speculation about whether she would seek the county seat formerly held by her late husband, Robert.

Mrs. Avant has held the seat for almost a year since Robert Avant passed away August 8, 2008.

Appointing the widow to the public office remains a tradition in Southern politics. The appointment is made to hold the seat until a special election can be held, often with the widow staying out of the race.

Mrs. Avant did not make such an agreement with supervisors, said board president Gary Thompson.

“That was never brought up,” he said. “It was assumed she would run for the seat.”

Mrs. Avant has spoken little during county board meetings, where her votes have been consistent with majority votes by the board. Her attendance record has been nearly perfect.

She could not be reached for comment for this story by press time Thursday.

Robert Avant won re-election four times, making him the county’s longest-serving supervisor when he passed away at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford.

Over time Avant used the District 2 seat to build a formidable power base that held sway over mayors, aldermen, county supervisors, and the North Panola School Board. He was serving as board president when he died.

District 2 covers much of northwest Panola County, stretching from Crenshaw south to the Curtis community west of Batesville.

On the ballot, candidates are listed without party affiliation. The contest will advance to a runoff if the candidates fail to win at least 50 percent of the vote.