The deadline for political candidates to qualify comes early this year. Alabama Secretary of State Jim Bennett recently announced that the final day for any major party candidates to qualify in the 2014 election cycle will be Friday, February 7th.

That’s far ahead of the original deadline of April 4th – qualifying will begin on Monday, January 13th.

That change was prompted by on-going litigation, between the state of Alabama and Department of Justice over military and overseas voting deadlines. The U.S. Department of Justice reportedly sued the state to make certain that members of the military, and other Alabamians living overseas – would have time to return them soon enough to be counted.

Cherokee County offices up for re-election this year (2014) will include District Judge, Cherokee County Commission Districts 2 and 4, one place on the Board of Education, the Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner and County Coroner.

Although the qualifying deadline for Democrats and Republicans has changed election dates will remain the same – June 3rd for the Primary; July 15th for the Primary run-off, and November 4th for the General Election.