Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Morse officially qualified to run for the open District 1 constable position on Monday.
Morse will face Shank Phelps, who stepped down from his role as constable when he retired as Oktibbeha County Emergency Management director in June. His wife, Mitzi Phelps, currently serves as interim constable for District 1.
As of Monday afternoon, only Morse and Phelps had qualified for the District 1 constable race in the non-partisan special election that will be held on Nov. 7.
Morse, 68, has worked for the Okitbbeha County Sheriff's Department for the last 10 years, with nine of those spent as a transport officer. His law enforcement career began in 1977 as an auxiliary and part-time officer. In 2007, Morse joined the department in a full-time capacity.
This will be Morse's second campaign for District 1 constable, after an unsuccessful bid in 2011.
For more on Morse and other stories, read Tuesday's Starkville Daily news.