Update:

It is going to be a crowded ballot for the Polk County Commission District 2 special election in November, and the Aragon City Council won’t have an election at all after qualifying wrapped up at noon at the Board of Elections for the two seats.

One more candidate jumped into the race on Friday morning before the noon deadline. Ricky Clark is a name that has appeared in the ballot in recent years many times, and he’s decided to give it another shot and join the race for the special election this fall.

He became the fifth candidate to seek the remainder of the time left on the District 2 seat after Linda Liles was appointed in the spring to replace former Commissioner Jennifer Hulsey in the position when she resigned to run for the State House District 16 race.

Alongside Clark, Jody Bentley Smith joined the race this morning prior to the close of qualifying. Liles and Chris Roberson got on the ballot Wednesday, and Glenn Robinson joined the race on Thursday.

With five candidates on the ballot for the upcoming election, it is likely that the race will go to an early December run-off between two candidates to decide who takes over starting on January 1, 2021.

The other race that was open for qualifying closed out at noon with no one else deciding to get on the ballot with former Aragon Public Works Director Daniel Johnson, who qualified first thing on Wednesday morning for the seat. With just one candidate in the race, the City of Aragon won’t need an election at all and it will be canceled on the November ballot per Elections Director Lee Ann George.

“I’m ready to get to work with the Mayor and the City Council so we can start our journey forward toward improving the city for the citizens of Aragon,” Johnson said.

Unless otherwise noted, Johnson could be sworn in as early as the September Council meeting to begin his time in the seat.

Previously posted at 10:36 a.m.:

The decision over who will serve starting in 2021 for the Polk County Commission District 2 race is now up to four people as qualifying is getting closer to ending for two special elections on the November ballot.

Jody Bentley Smith, who was among a group of people who applied for the County Commission District 2 seat when the board was deciding who would take over for Jennifer Hulsey in April, added her name to the race this morning.

She joins Liles, who is seeking to retain the seat alongside Chris Roberson and Glenn Robinson.

Qualifying wraps up at noon. No other candidates had decided to jump into the Aragon City Council race other than Daniel Johnson at this point.

Check back this afternoon to see how qualifying wrapped up.