Local incumbents and those aspiring to unseat them will take the first step toward launching their two-month campaigns to win over voters next week during the week-long qualifying period.

Qualifying for local municipal elections will run the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 4. The 2009 general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

In Villa Rica, council seats for Wards 3, 4 and 5 are on the line. While Ward 4 Councilman Joey Kelley and Ward 5 Councilman Woody Holland have both said they plan to run again, long-time Ward 3 Councilman Perry Amidon has made no public declaration.

The qualifying fee to run for a Villa Rica council seat is $80.

In Temple, council seats for Wards 1 and 2 will be on this year’ ballot, as will the mayor’s seat currently held by Mayor Rick Ford. Those running for Ward 2 and the mayor’s seat will not have to face an incumbent after Ford and Councilman Larry Mann announced they would not seek another term. While Ford is finishing up his first term, Mann has served on the council for nearly two decades.

First-term Councilman Larry Estvanko has not made his intentions public for Ward 1.

The cost to run for mayor in Temple is $90 and for council the cost is $72.

While in Villa Rica voters must cast their respective ballots for candidates running for the ward in which they live, Temple councilmen must live in the ward in which they qualify to run but voters from all over the city have the opportunity to vote in each ward’s race.

Those interested in qualifying to run for a municipal election in Villa Rica or Temple must do so at the Carroll County Elections and Registration office located at 423 College Street, Room 302, in Carrollton. Qualifying will be available 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. each day — including during the lunch hour — with the exception of Friday, when the qualifying period will end at 4:30 p.m.