Vicksburg contractor Joe Bonelli has become the third person to file qualifying papers for the Nov. 7 special election to fill the unexpired term of former District 54 Rep. Alex Monsour, who was elected the city’s South Ward alderman in June.

The deadline to file papers for the race is Sept. 9. The deadline to register to vote in the election is Oct. 7, Warren County Circuit Clerk Jan Daigre said. Absentee voting is expected to begin Oct. 9.

Bonelli joins Dr. Randy Easterling and Kevin Ford, who filed their papers in August.

Easterling is a family practitioner and addiction medicine specialist, and Ford is owner of the Ford Insurance Agency.

Their applications must be qualified by the state Election Commission to be on the Nov. 7 special election ballot. The election is a nonpartisan race. If needed, a runoff will be held Nov. 28.

To qualify for the election, a candidate must be a registered voter, a resident of the state for four years, be at least 21 years old and been a resident of the district for two years before the day of the election.

Monsour, a Republican, resigned his seat in the Mississippi House July 5, about a month after defeating then-incumbent South Ward Alderman Willis Thompson in the June 6 municipal general elections.

His resignation came after a state Attorney General’s opinion said he could no longer serve as District 54 representative because under the city’s special charter the aldermen had administrative as well as legislative responsibilities.

Prior to winning the alderman’s seat, he had served in the Legislature for 10 years.