Qualifying opens today for the special election to fill Georgia’s vacant 14th Congressional District seat, and the field is already shaping up as one of the most crowded contests Northwest Georgia has seen in years, with multiple Republicans and Democrats publicly signaling they plan to run.

The race will be decided in an all-candidate “jungle primary” format, meaning candidates from every party appear on the same ballot. If no one wins a majority, the top finishers advance to a runoff.

Among the best-known names to jump in is 53rd District State Sen. Colton Moore, a Northwest Georgia lawmaker who has publicly announced plans to run for the congressional seat.

Other Republicans who have been publicly mentioned as entering the race include Clayton Fuller, a district attorney, and Brian Stover, a businessman, along with Reagan Box, who has shifted from a separate campaign effort to run in the special election.

On the Democratic side, Shawn Harris—who previously ran in the district—has said he’s running again, joined by Clarence Blalock. An independent candidate, Rob Ruszkowski, has also been reported as entering the race.

Even with those announcements, more names could be added quickly as qualifying gets underway. Early reporting has indicated a large number of potential Republican contenders have been weighing campaigns, suggesting the final ballot may include a long list of candidates once the window closes.

For voters in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia, the jungle-primary format raises the stakes of a crowded field: with many candidates splitting support, the contest could turn into a fast-paced battle for name recognition, local ties, and turnout—while setting up the possibility of a runoff if no one reaches a majority.