CANTON — Qualifying kicks off Wednesday for the 2012 primaries in what is shaping up to be a heated election season in Cherokee County.

Most races for the Republican primary have at least two candidates announced to vie for office, and Democrats say they hope to see some of their candidates throw their hats in the ring as well.

Qualifying begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday and ends at noon Friday.

Candidates will go to the Cherokee County Administrative Complex and Conference Center at the Bluffs to pay their fees to their party and make if official. Democrats will qualify in the Warluskee Room and Republicans in the Sutallee Room.

Non-partisan races will qualify at the Cherokee County Voters Registration Office in downtown Canton.

Qualifying fee for the judge of the State Court is $3,921.81. Local attorneys Jeff Rusbridge and Michelle Homier both say they plan to seek the seat on the bench.

Local offices up for election this year include the Board of Commissioners, posts 2 and 3, which have a qualifying fee of $900. So far, three Republican candidates are running for Post 2, including incumbent Jim Hubbard, Channing Ruskell and Raymond Gunnin. In Post 3, Brian Poole and Chris Hampton are running for the seat now held by Karen Bosch.

While the Cherokee County Board of Education is still awaiting confirmation of new districting maps that would create countywide chair position for that board, two candidates are already jumping into the race, school board Vice Chairwoman Janet Read and Danny Dukes. The qualifying fee is $216. Posts 1 and 2 are also up for grabs this time around.

Clerk of Superior Court Patty Baker, Magistrate Judge James Drain and Judge of the Probate Court Keith Wood are running unopposed with no announced opposition going into qualifying in their respective races. The qualifying fee for all three positions is $2,533.76.

The same fee applies to the position of Cherokee County tax commissioner, and that race already has three candidates seeking the post, including incumbent Tax Commissioner Sonya Little, Robert Wilkie and Kenny Phelps.

Cherokee County Sheriff Roger Garrison has an opponent in David Waters, and the fee for that race is $2,597.16.

Cherokee County coroner and Cherokee County surveyor each carry a $35 qualifying fee.

Democratic Party Chairwoman Georgette Thaler said Friday that while no candidates have yet made it official, she expects some candidates to come in this week and put their money down.

“Several have told me they might run,” she said.

State level office seekers will qualify at the state level.