Candidate qualifying for the 2007 statewide and local elections begins Tuesday and runs through March 1.

The vast majority of state and county elected offices will be decided by Aug. 7 party primaries and a Nov. 6 general election.

Candidates for county offices must file qualifying papers and pay filing fees with the Circuit Clerk, while hopefuls for state offices may file with the secretary of state’s office.

County offices up for grabs include supervisors, the sheriff, justice court judges and local clerks. State and regional races include governor, state senators and representatives and district attorneys and the attorny general.

On the Net:

Secretary of state’s office, http://www.sos.state.ms.us