Tom Opdyke

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The green flag has dropped: the race to November has begun.

With the close Friday of the candidate filing period, Republicans and Democrats begin competing against their own, leading to the July 15 primaries.

In some cases, these internecine battles will leave survivors bloodied, financially struggling and limping toward an opponent from the other party in November's general election.

Others will emerge stronger and battle-hardened, ready to head into the fall with the full financial support of their parties.

There is plenty to generate interest. A majority of the fractious Clayton County school board will be replaced, and the freshman chairman of the Gwinnett County Commission will have to get past two party members to take on a Democrat in November. Embattled Fulton County Sheriff Myron Freeman has to fight off eight from his own Democratic Party to face a Republican.

A strip club owner and a man facing child pornography charges have entered races.

If voting patterns hold true, fewer than half of the state's registered voters will participate in choosing the leaders who will set their taxes, spend millions and in some cases decide how voters' children will be educated.

Here are highlights from metro Atlanta counties:

CHEROKEE COUNTY

Twenty-three Republicans qualified to run for local offices in GOP-dominated Cherokee County, including challengers to the incumbent sheriff, county commissioners and school board members. No Democrats signed up in the week-long qualifying period that ended at noon Friday.

—- Nancy Badertscher

CLAYTON COUNTY

Among the 34 people filing for seven school board seats are two incumbents, Lois Baines-Hunter and David Ashe.

The candidates' occupations range from teachers and retirees to contractors and cosmetologists. They are asking voters for the right to lead a public school system in danger of losing its accreditation.

Voters also turned in petitions to recall the two board members who are not up for re-election, Michelle Strong and Sandra Scott.

County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell and controversial Sheriff Victor Hill both face four opponents in the Democratic primary.

Republicans filed in only two races, both for the school district.

—- Megan Matteucci

COBB COUNTY

Nearly half of the seven members on the next school board will be new because three of four who are up for re-election decided not to run.

In southwest Cobb, the largest field of competitors for a commission seat is among Democrats, where four people are challenging Annette Kesting, the only Democrat on the five-member board.

In predominantly Republican central and east Cobb, the commission contest features two GOP candidates trying to unseat Joe L. Thompson, a commissioner since 1993.

Like Commission Chairman Sam Olens, many Republican candidates for other offices face no primary opposition in a county dominated by the GOP.

—- Tom Opdyke

DEKALB COUNTY

In Democrat-heavy DeKalb, 25 candidates filed for office, all but two of them Democrats. All five candidates vying for the top job of chief executive officer are Democrats. The post is held by Vernon Jones, who is term-limited to the end of this year.

Commissioner Burrell Ellis from central DeKalb is among those running for Jones' job. His decision not to run for re-election in his own central DeKalb district resulted in an open seat that has drawn six hopefuls, all Democrats.

The only Republican in local office, north DeKalb Commissioner Elaine Boyer, drew the only other GOP contestant, the owner of a Clarkston strip club. Sheriff Tom Brown has two Democratic challengers, and Superior Court Clerk Linda Carter has one. Neither the incumbent chief magistrate nor the county tax commissioner drew challengers.

—- Ty Tagami, David Markiewicz

FORSYTH COUNTY

Ten candidates qualified for three seats on the County Commission, and a former deputy arrested on child-pornography charges has entered the race for sheriff.

District 2 Commissioner Brian Tam drew challenges from three fellow Republicans —- Michael J. Busse, Joseph Moore and Charles I. Smith.

In District 5, where incumbent Linda Ledbetter has decided not to run, four Republicans —- Jim Boff, Terry Sweeney, Julie Tressler and Walter Waddell —- qualified.

Sheriff Ted Paxton is facing two challengers, including former deputy Scott Pruitt, arrested last year on child-pornography charges. Charges against him are pending, the district attorney's office said Friday.

—- Nancy Badertscher

FULTON COUNTY

Embattled Democratic Sheriff Myron Freeman faces heavy competition, with eight Democrats fighting to unseat him and a Republican waiting for the survivor in November.

Freeman has suffered through a controversy-filled first four years, beginning with the shooting of a judge, court reporter and deputy at the courthouse he is responsible for securing. He narrowly escaped a legislative effort to hand many of the department's duties to other county agencies.

Clerk of Superior Court Tina Robinson faces a crowded field of three challengers. She was the hand-picked successor to Juanita Hicks, who retired early into this term, and drew fire for giving Hicks a lucrative consulting contract.

Overall, 17 Democrats and two Republicans signed up to seek five local offices. Solicitor General Carmen Smith is the only incumbent without an opponent in July or November.

—- D.L. Bennett

GWINNETT COUNTY

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister will defend his seat against challenges from District 1 Commissioner Lorraine Green and newcomer Glenn Pirkle of Buford in the Republican primary. Democrat Vincent Passariello will run against the winner in November.

Three Republicans and one Democrat are seeking the District 1 seat Green is giving up to run for chairman. Former Duluth Mayor Shirley Lasseter is probably the most widely known among the Republicans. Duluth resident Bruce LeVell, who is on the MARTA and Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District boards, and former Suwanee Councilwoman Carol Hassell, also will challenge for the seat in the primary. Cheryl Williams, second vice chairwoman of the county Democratic Party, will face the winner.

Commissioner Mike Beaudreau gets a GOP primary challenge from Lilburn's planning manager, Doug Stacks of Dacula. Democrat Earl Herndon awaits the winner.

—- Michael Pearson, D. Aileen Dodd