The community is invited to the Dawson County Courthouse on Friday for an official swearing in ceremony of Dawson County’s newest elected officials.

The 2 p.m. swearing in will take place in the main courtroom and will be conducted by the Honorable C. Andrew Fuller, Northeast Judicial Circuit Judge, and the Honorable Jennifer Evans Burt, Probate Judge for Dawson County.

The elected officials to be sworn-in during the ceremony will take office on Jan. 1, 2009. The terms for each will be four years.

One seat on the Dawson County Board of Commissioners will change in January. Political newcomer James Swafford was elected to replace Terri Tragesser for the District 2 seat.

Commission Chairman Mike Berg and District 4 Commissioner Julie Hughes Nix will retain their respective seats on the board.

Fuller will swear in the commissioners and three-term Probate Judge Jennifer Evans Burt, who defended her seat on the bench against attorney Henry Young.

Burt will swear in the other elected officials, including current Associate Magistrate Judge Lisa Thurmond, who was elected to chief magistrate. Thurmond’s associate magistrate appointment Anthony “Tony” Tarnaki will be sworn in during the ceremony as well.

Sheriff Billy Carlisle, Clerk of Superior Court Becky V. McCord, Tax Commissioner Linda Townley, Coroner Ted Bearden, County Surveyor Frederick C. Youngman, and Board of Education members Doris N. Cook, Elaine Wilson and Roger D. Slaton retained their seats and will also be sworn in on Thursday.

E-mail Michele Hester at michele@dawsonnews.com.