By Billy Davis

Panola Countians will go to the polls January 11, 2011, to vote in a special election for Northern District transportation commissioner.

Gov. Haley Barbour announced the date this week following the Nov. 1 death of Bill Minor.

The qualifying deadline is December 12.

State Rep. Warner McBride, of Batesville, has announced he intends to seek the open seat.

McBride, a Democrat, has served in the House of Representatives since 1992. He currently chairs the House Transportation Committee.

Joey Hood, of Itawamba County, has also told The Panolian he is running for election. Hood works for MDOT and was serving as Minor’s assistant when he died

The State Transportation Commission is a three-member public body that sets transportation policy for Mississippi.

The commission appoints an executive director of the Miss. Department of Transportation, who carries out the policies set by the commission.

The three transportation commissioners are elected from three Supreme Court Districts in the state. The Northern District covers the top third of the state.

Minor, a former state senator, was elected transportation commissioner in 2003.

The winner of the Northern District seat will serve the remainder of Minor’s term, through 2011. The regular four-year term will be on the ballot again in the Nov. 2011 General Election.

Barbour also announced the January 11 special election would include a senate race and a house race elsewhere in the state.

A runoff, if necessary, will be February 1.