The filing window for candidates wishing to run for office in the 2012 Primary Election officially opened Monday morning.

County offices appearing on the ballot on May 8 include County Commission, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, Assessor, Magistrate, Surveyor and two seats on the Tyler County Board of Education. Anyone interested in completing candidacy paperwork must do so at the Tyler County Clerk’s Office no later than Jan. 28. Payment of a mandatory filing fee is required.

Other requirements include the following:

-County Commission, 6-year term: Candidates must be eligible to vote; must live in the county; and must live in the county magisterial district by the end of the candidate filing period.

-Prosecuting Attorney, 4-year term: Candidates must be eligible to vote and must be licensed go practice law by the time the term begins.

-Sheriff, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 18-years of age; live in West Virginia; and be eligible to vote.

-Assessor, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 18-years of age; live in West Virginia; and be eligible to vote.

-Magistrate, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 18-years of age; live in West Virginia; be eligible to vote; have a high school education or its equivalent; have no more than one magistrate in immediate family; and have no past felony conviction or any conviction for moral turpitude. Training is required before taking office.

-Surveyor, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 18-years of age; live in West Virginia; and be eligible to vote. If elected prior to 2012 and currently serving, the candidate is not required to be licensed. If unlicensed, the surveyor may only work for the county. If newly elected in 2012, the surveyor must be licensed.

-Board of Education, 4-year term: Candidates must reside in Tyler County and in a district where a seat is on the ballot. He or she must have a High School Diploma or GED. Candidates will be required to attend training before taking office.

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Every constitutional office in West Virginia is on the ballot, as well. They include Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Every seat in the House of Delegates is up for election, as is half of the State Senate, and two seats on the State Supreme Court.

Candidacy requirements for each office include the following:

-Governor, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 30-years of age and must be citizens of West Virginia for at least five years prior to the election.

-Secretary of State, 4-year term: Candidates must be citizens of West Virginia and must be eligible to vote.

-Auditor, 4-year term: Candidates must be citizens of West Virginia and must be eligible to vote.

-Treasurer, 4-year term: Candidates must be citizens of West Virginia and must be eligible to vote.

-Commissioner of Agriculture, 4-year term: Candidates must be citizens of West Virginia; must be eligible to vote; must be a practical farmer, learned in the science of agriculture, and shall have made agriculture his chief business for a period of ten years immediately preceding his election (W.Va. State Code 19-1-2).

-Attorney General, 4-year term: Candidates must be citizens of West Virginia and must be eligible to vote.

-Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 25-years of age; must be citizens of West Virginia for at least five years prior to the election; must be residents of district and county from Nov. 6, 2011.; and must be eligible to vote.

-State Senate, 4-year term: Candidates must be at least 25-years of age; must be citizens of West Virginia for at least five years prior to the election; must be residents of district and county from Nov. 6, 2011.; and must be eligible to vote.

-WV House of Delegates, 2-year term: Candidates must be residents of district and county from Nov. 6, 2011.; and must be eligible to vote.

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A Constitutional Amendment will also appear. Titled “Repeal the Two Consecutive Terms Limits for Sheriffs Amendment,” the statewide amendment was passed on March 10 and enrolled by Senate Joint Resolution No. 10. In summary, the measure would “repeal section three article IX of the State Constitution which provides that a person who has been elected or who has served as a sheriff during all or any part of two consecutive terms shall be ineligible for the office of sheriff during any part of the term immediately following the second of the two consecutive terms, and that the person holding the office of sheriff when this section is ratified shall not be prevented from holding the office of sheriff during the term immediately following the term he is serving.”

To be ratified, the measure must pass by majority vote in the 2012 General Election.

Federal offices on the ballot include President of the United States, United States Senate, and United States House of Representatives.

For more information, contact the Tyler County Clerk’s Office at 304-758-2102, or visit the Secretary of State’s Web site at www.wvsos.com.

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The window for prospective candidates to file for municipal office in the City of Sistersville is now open, as well.

Sistersville Mayor David B. Fox announced recently announced that an election will be held on Thursday, March 22 for the purpose of electing the following:

-Mayor, 2-year term;

-First Ward Council Member, 4-year term;

-Second Ward Council Member, 4-year term;

-Third Ward Council Member, 4-year term;

-Fourth Ward Council Member, 4-year term;

-Fourth Ward Council Member, 2-year term;

Candidates may file in the Recorder’s office in the City Building located at 200 Diamond Street, Sistersville by filling out the “Filing Form for Municipal Office” by 3 p.m. on Jan. 23. A filing fee must also be paid by all prospective candidates.

For more information, call the City Building at 304-652-6361.