Special to the American Press

Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court Lynn Jones has announced that qualifying for the Oct. 14 election will be held Aug. 8-10. “If you are considering running for local office in the October 14th election, now is the time to call our office and make an appointment to qualify.” Appointments are not mandatory, but have been implemented to make the process faster and more efficient.

“We have numerous local and district offices to be decided in the October election. While state-level candidates must qualify in Baton Rouge, local offices will qualify at the Clerk of Court office August 8-10, 8:30 a.m. till 4:30 p.m. each day” said Jones. The Calcasieu Clerk of Court office is located at 1000 Ryan St. Lake Charles. (Old Courthouse).

Qualifying fees vary by candidate, office sought, and party affiliation. The fee schedule, as well as all information for candidates can be found on the Clerk of Court website at www.CalcasieuClerk.gov. Candidates will need to bring payment and signature ID to their appointment. Forms of payment include cash, USPS money order or bank certified checks. Personal checks or campaign account checks are not accepted.

Jones continued, “Our staff will help candidates walk through the qualifying process. Candidates should be prepared to provide their phone number, address, and email address which will be posted on the Louisiana Secretary of State candidate site. I would also recommend that potential candidates review the qualifications on our website or the Secretary of State website.”

The Clerk of Court Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and candidates who would like to make an appointment or have questions can call the Election Directors at 337-437-3550. Detailed information is also available at www.CalcasieuClerk.gov .