Five candidates have already qualified to run as Republicans in the race to be Hall County’s next sheriff.Though some of them have been campaigning for nearly a year now, Jeff Strickland, Jon P. Strickland, Chuck Hewett, Gerald Couch and John Sisk all paid qualifying fees Wednesday, making their intentions to seek the seat official.Wednesday was the first day of the qualifying period for candidates wishing to be on the ballot during the July 31 party primaries.The period ends at noon Friday.Races for two district seats on the Hall County Board of Commissioners are already contested.Eugene Moon, who previously ran as an independent candidate for Gov. Nathan Deal’s old seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, qualified to run as a Republican against incumbent Billy Powell, who also qualified.Republican Jeff Stowe filed paperwork to challenge incumbent Ashley Bell, who has also made his bid for re-election — this time as a Republican — official.Dick Mecum, former Hall County sheriff and U.S. marshal, made official his plans to challenge county Chairman Tom Oliver. Oliver has not yet qualified.Four Republican candidates also stepped forward in the election for Hall County probate judge.