Two seats on the Pearl River County School District Board of Trustees are up for reelection this year: District 4, which is currently represented by Board Vice President Jeff Jones and District 3, which is currently represented by Board Secretary Natalie Glorioso, according to the District’s website.

The earliest county residents within those districts can qualify as candidates for the Board is Wednesday, August 7, according to the Secretary of State’s 2019 Election Calendar. The deadline to qualify as a candidate is Sept. 6. Voting for those seats on the Board will be included in the general election on Nov. 5, according to the calendar.

In order to qualify as a candidate, interested parties must be a registered voter of the district where they seek office, never have been convicted of bribery or perjury, and never convicted of a felony in Mississippi or federal courts, according to the Secretary of State’s candidate qualifying guide. The exceptions to that are convictions for manslaughter or violations of tax law, according to the guide.

Candidates must have a high school diploma or an equivalent, according to the guide. To qualify as a candidate for a county school board, individuals need a statement of intent, and a petition signed by at least 50 registered voters in the district where they are running, according to the guide. If the district contains fewer than 100 registered voters, the petition has to be signed by at least 20 percent of those voters.

Once qualified, candidates have to file a statement of economic interest with the Mississippi Ethics Commission and campaign finance disclosure reports with the Circuit Clerk’s Office, the guide states.

Picayune

The Picayune School District has two elected Board members, the other three are appointed, according to the Picayune School Board Policy Manual. Members serve a five-year term. Neither of the elected Board members are up for reelection.

Board member Josh Robertson won his seat in 2017, and Board member Jake Smith won his seat in 2016, according to previous coverage.

Poplarville

None of the Poplarville School District Board of Trustees members are elected, said Konya Miller, Poplarville School District assistant superintendent. Two Board members are appointed by the city and three are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, Miller said.