George Lee Dowdy recently announced his candidacy for Cumberland’s Circuit Court Clerk.

The special election for the Circuit Court Clerk will take place Nov. 6. Deidre Martin, who was recently appointed interim clerk, will also run.

Dowdy, 41, is a lifetime resident of Cumberland who noted his parents and grandfather have lived and worked in the county.

Dowdy said he attended Cumberland County Public Schools, graduating in 1995. He later went on to receive an associate degree in the Administrations of Justice from Southside Virginia Community College, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master’s degree in sociology from Longwood University.

Dowdy also graduated from the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy in Salem, and worked as a law enforcement officer for more than 10 years, including 

working in private security for several different companies.

Dowdy said he began serving on Cumberland’s first locally elected school board 11 years ago as the District Two representative and has served as an alternate and voting delegate for the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA).

In his position with the Cumberland County School Board, he served as the board’s interim chair and vice chair and served on the CIP (Capital Improvement) Committee for more than 10 years, also serving three terms on the regional nominating committee.

Dowdy has been a member of the school system’s lobbying team to the Virginia General Assembly and has earned nine awards during his time on the Cumberland County Public School Board, earning five awards of excellence, one of honor, and three of distinction.

He has also served three terms on the Southside Regional Nominating Committee.

Dowdy has more than 14 years of supervisory experience and was an adjunct professor for four years.

He worked with the Cumberland Historical Tour Committee for five years and is a member of the county Masonic Lodge and of the Cumberland Historical Society.