CLAY COUNTY – While it seems like election day is months away, the national, statewide and local field will be reduced following the results of the Aug. 18 Primary.

The Primary will determine a single candidate for each political party ahead of the Nov. 3 General Election.

County-wide, there are 44 seats to be determined, but only three school board races will be on the primary ballot. However, there are also national and state decisions on the ballot.

All school board candidates list no party affiliation, so the Primary winner will win a seat on the board.

Lara Libretto is challenging incumbent Erin Skipper in District 1; Michael Rathjen is taking on incumbent Michele Hanson in District 4; and Gerald Beasley and Veronica Powell-Faison are both running against incumbent Ashley Gilhousen in District 5.

Alexandra Compere decided not to run for her District 2 seat on the Board of County Commission. Currently, Leroy Edwards is the lone Democrat candidate and Lolita Smoak has qualified from the Republican Party.

In District 4, Betsy Sistrunk Condon, a Republican, is the only candidate.

Books close to qualify for the Primary Election on July 20, and early voting is Aug. 8-15 from 10 a.m.- 6p.m. Election Day is Aug. 18 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Early and primary day voting sites will be at: the Orange Park Library, 2054 Plainfield Ave.; Clay County Health Department, 1845 Town Center Blvd., Fleming Island; the Supervisor of Elections Office, 500 N. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs; Middleburg Civic Center, 2102 Palmetto St..; Keystone Heights City Hall, 555 S. Lawrence Blvd.; Eagle Landing Residents Club, 3975 Eagle Landing Pkwy., Orange Park; and, the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center, 2900 Thrasher Horne Ave., Orange Park.

For a complete list of local candidates, visit clayelections.gov/candidates-committees/active-candidates.

Incumbent Ashley Moody, Chris Gleason, Neelam Perry and Ernie Rivera head the Republican field for the U.S. Senate, while the Democrats are led by Angela Nixon and Alex Vindman. Neil Gillespie is running NPA.

Incumbent Aaron Bean is being challenged by Anthony Valerio for the Republican ticket for the U.S. House, Florida District 4 Seat, while LaShonda Holloway, Michael Kirwan and Brit Robinson are vying for the Democrat slot. Todd Schaefer is running NPA.

The Democrat field for Governor includes Dotie Joseph, Evelyn Castillo-Bach, Thomas Fernandez, Dayna Foster, David Jolly and Stephann Norman, while Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, James Fishback, Jim Holcomb, Arthur McCaffrey, Daniel Nokovich, Paul Renner, Rachel Rodriguez, James Shaw, Caneste Succe and Bobby Williams Jr. make up the Republican field.

James Uthmeier is the incumbent Attorney General in the Republican field, while Jose Javier Rodriguez is the lone Democrat running for the office.

Jennifer Bradley is running as an unopposed Republican in the Florida State Senate District 6, while Jason Bellamy-Fults is the only Democrat candidate.

Republican and Florida House Speaker Designate Sam Garrison is unopposed for the District 11 seat.

Other offices being contested are Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services.