A longtime Warren Yazoo Mental Health Services administrator has entered the race for chancery clerk in Warren County.

Donna Hardy filed qualifying papers to run in the Republican primary for the position Friday, becoming the first to do so for the office. Incumbent Dot McGee plans to retire when the current term ends in January 2012.

Hardy, 56, held numerous positions in 31 years with the mental health counseling center before retiring in October, including head of treatment programs, case manager, acting director of the center and director of residential and acute services.

“Like our agency, it provides a service to the public,” Hardy said Monday, adding her previous interest in public office was limited only by work responsibilities. “Public office is one of the things I’d like to do.”

The clerk’s office maintains records for chancery courts and boards of supervisors. Statutory duties include recording board minutes, preparing the claims docket and county payroll, and recording and storing deeds, land records and documents received from the court.

Qualifying runs through March 1 for county and statewide races and June 1 for legislative offices. Party primaries are Aug. 2, and the general election is Nov. 8.

District 1 Supervisor David McDonald, a Republican, ended talk of entering the race when he re-filed for supervisor on Friday.

Also qualifying Friday was District 2 Supervisor William Banks, a Democrat, who is seeking a second full term representing the northwest Warren County district on the county board. District 3 Supervisor Charles Selmon qualified Thursday.

Circuit Clerk Shelly Ashley-Palmertree’s paperwork to run for a third term was also completed last week, as were papers for justice court judges Eddie Woods, James Jefferson Jr. and Jeff Crevitt, and Central District Constable Randy Naylor.

Offices for governor and lieutenant governor will lead off the ballot later this year, with local races including the entire board of supervisors and sheriff.