Staff reports

Homemaker and former educator Kowana McKinney qualified as a candidate today as an Albany City Commission Ward 6 candidate. She joins two-term incumbent Tommie Postell and former Dougherty County commissioner Victor Edwards as candidates for the south Albany seat.

Qualifying for mayor and the Ward 6, Ward 1 and Ward 4 seats began Monday and ends at noon Friday. The nonpartisan election is Nov. 8. With Ward 2 representative Dorothy Hubbard’s resignation on Tuesday, plans are under way to also have an election for that seat on Nov. 8 to fill Hubbard’s unexpired four-year term. Qualifying for Ward 2 is expected to run from 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 to noon Friday, Sept. 16.

Hubbard resigned to enter the mayor’s race; other candidates are former state representative John White, who qualified today; restaurateur B.J. Fletcher qualified on Tuesday. They are seeking to fill the seat held by Willie Adams, who says he will not seek a third term.

In Ward 4, incumbent Roger Marietta is being challenged by law firm employee Jason McCoy. Incumbent Jon Howard is the only candidate for the Ward 1 seat.

Albany’s mayor makes $25,000 per year and City Commission members make $15,000. The mayor and City Commission members also have access to city vehicles and receive taxpayer-funded health, life and dental insurance benefits.