Deadline for filing to run for the board of aldermen and mayor is Friday, March 8, at 5 p.m., and so far, three have filed to run for mayor and six for five spots on the board of aldermen.

Long-time incumbent Mayor Billy Spiers has filed to run. If Spiers wins re-election, he will assume his unprecedented seventh term as mayor, perhaps some sort of record. He has served as mayor of Poplarville for 24 years.

He’s being challenged by current alderman Bill Winborn. Also running for mayor is GOP challenger Everett Lawrence. Winborn and Spiers are Democrats.

In the race for the five positions on the board of aldermen, incumbents seeking re-election are Dr. John A. Grant, Jr., Johnny Sherman and Byron Wells. Wells and Sherman are Republicans; Grant is a Democrat.

Also seeking an aldermanic post are Mark Bridgers, Radio Shack manager; Don Lee, a former alderman, and Randy Brown, a Biloxi police officer who lives in Poplarville. Bridgers and Brown are Republicans and Lee is a Democrat.

The only incumbent so far that has not filed for re-election is Alderwoman Shirley Wiltshire, the only woman on the board.

All candidates run at-large for board positions since the town is not cut into districts.

In other filings, Hester Henry has filed to run for the Democratic Executive Committee post.

The first primary is May 7, runoffs are on May 21, if any, and the General Election is June 4.