The seat for District 5 commissioner will be decided in the primary election on March 13.

Incumbent Charlie Harris will be looking to hold onto his position as Isabell “Fronnie” Boyd seeks election.

Harris has been a Pike County commissioner for 19 years and said he decided to run again because he appreciated the opportunity to continue to support the people in District 5. “I am a people person and I like working with people,” Harris said. “I have the experience knowing what this county needs.”

Harris said that although the county has come a long way since he was elected, there is always room for improvement.

“I want to work with economic development,” Harris said. “People are looking for places to work. They want to live here in Pike County and work in Pike County.”

And Harris said that change is sometimes slow in the county because government is slow. He said that the Self-Governance Referendum on the March 13 ballot is a good start, but he believes the county should strive for home rule so people in Pike County could make decisions for themselves “without waiting on the State.”

“All the orders come down from the State, right now,” Harris said. “That’s not good for us.”

Harris’ opponent, Boyd is no stranger to politics. She served on the Brundidge City Council for 22 years. She is a records manager at East Central Mental Health and is a board member of the Brundidge Business Association, Brundidge Planning Commission and several other groups, according to her candidacy announcement. She is also a member of the Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church.

Boyd did not return multiple attempts to contact her for comment.