By Rita Howell

Mississippians will go to the polls a week from today to select party nominees for president, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives for the November federal elections.

On the Democratic ballot in Panola County will be President Barack Obama (with no opponent).   

Democratic candidates for Senate are Albert N. Gore Jr. of Starkville, chairman of the Oktibbeha County Democratic Executive Committee;  Jackson politician Will Oatis and Dr. Roger Weiner, a Clarksdale cardiologist.

Running as Democrats for Congressional District 2 (where Panola County has just been placed) are Heather McTeer, the former Greenville mayor, and longtime Congressman Bennie Thompson of Bolton.

The Republican ballot will contain eight candidates for the presidential nomination: Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

Republican candidates challenging incumbent Sen. Roger Wicker of Tupelo are E. Allen Hathcock of Stewart, a retired Army master sergeant and veteran, and Robert Maloney of Madison.

Bill Marcy of Meridian is the only Republican listed on the ballot for U.S. House of Representatives’ Second District.

The Panola County Circuit Clerk’s office will be open until noon on Saturday for absentee voting for the March 13 primary election.