The final hours of candidate qualifying provided very few surprises Tuesday. But when the final minutes ticked away, what was certain is there will be a heavyweight battle in Selma’s mayoral race and a few Selma candidates were able to win their seats outright due to lack of competition.

The race for Selma’s mayoral position is a race that offers two strong and experienced candidates, and in a rare situation, offers two candidates who have plenty of time serving as mayor.

Former mayor James Perkins Jr. qualified in the mayor’s race Monday morning, while current Selma Mayor George Evans signed his paperwork Tuesday afternoon. This marks a repeat between the two candidates from the 2008 race.

In that race, Evans was able to overcome a crowded field and defeat Perkins without a runoff. Evans earned 4,322 votes, while Perkins earned 3,283.

But while some would argue this race has been set soon after the last one ended, Perkins doesn’t agree.

“I laugh at the idea of everyone knowing this day was coming since the last election because personally I did not know it was coming until after the Draft Perkins Campaign sometime last year,” Perkins said. “But, I am pleased with knowing there is no chance for a runoff.”

For Evans, he feels the experience he and Perkins bring to the race very likely kept any other candidates from qualifying in the mayor’s race, further eliminating the chance for any runoff.

“I’m glad no one else is running. I’m glad it’s just he and I,” Evans said. “I think that at this point, based on his experience and background, and based on mine, other candidates must have felt they wouldn’t have stood a chance.

“There wasn’t any point in anyone else getting in it, because they would have just be wasting time and money, so they are going to allow the two of us to settle it.”

Perkins said his decision to run for mayor had nothing to do with a potential rematch with Evans, but rather because “I really care about the community and its people.”

As for how he plans to campaign differently in this race compared to the one four years ago, Perkins said it’s simple.

“The obvious answer is I plan to win this time,” Perkins said. “Beyond that, in 2008 I allowed many things to be said that were not true and I did not speak boldly about my record or about my relationship with the opposition. This campaign, I am committed to boldly speaking facts and truth.”

Evans also declared he hoped the campaign between the two would stay civil, avoiding “any mudslinging.”

“I welcome the challenge and I hope the community will come out and support the candidate of their choosing. Of course I hope that is me,” Evans said.

In other Selma races, a few came to an unceremonious conclusion Tuesday without the first vote being counted.

Cecil Williamson, who had served as Selma City Council President the past two years since the death of council president Geraldin Allen, reclaimed his Ward 1 post Tuesday when no one else qualified for that seat.

Ward 5 councilmember Sam Randolph also earned another four-year term when the qualifying deadline hit and no other candidate had qualified.

Greg Bjelke, who was elected to the Ward 3 seat in a special election in 2011, also earned his seat again when no one qualified.

On the Selma City School Board, the only candidate to move through without a race was Dr. Udo Ufomadu, who did not draw an opponent, thus earning another term representing District 4 on the school board.

While every other race in Selma drew competition, it appears the races that drew the most attention was the Ward 6 council position that attracted four candidates, including incumbent B.L. Tucker. The Selma City Council President post drew four candidates, including current Ward 8 councilmember Corey Bowie.

The competition for the Selma City School President seat drew three competitors, including incumbent president Henry Hicks Sr. and fellow school board member, District 1 representative Holland Powell.

Three candidates signed up to compete for the council’s Ward 4 seat, while three are set to battle for the Ward 8 seat that will be vacated by Bowie.

The District 1 seat on the school board, being vacated by Powell, drew three competitors.

The list of qualified candidates from Orrville could not be confirmed Tuesday evening, as it appeared no one was at the town hall after mid-afternoon. The Times-Journal will work to confirm the list of candidates, but it does appear now, that there will be competitive races for mayor and council in Orrville in quite some time.

In Valley Grande, the earlier reports that none of the current council — including Mayor Tom Lee — would seek re-election was two minutes from holding true Tuesday.

Donna Downs, who currently holds the Valley Grande Place 3 post on the council, decided to run for re-election, qualifying at 4:58 p.m. Tuesday.

Other than that race, the city is guaranteed to have a new representative in each seat, including mayor where Gene Hisel and Wayne Labbe will take on each other.