A total of six candidates have qualified for two of the three Gainesville City Council seats to be voted on this year, while in Clermont, one city council post attracted no candidates, which means a special election will have to be held.
Qualifying for the Nov. 3 elections ended Wednesday in Gainesville, Lula, Clermont and Oakwood. Friday is the deadline in Flowery Branch and Gillsville.
In Gainesville, Lemuel Betancourt, Barbara Brooks, Andre Cheek and Montine Whelchel Smith signed up to run for the city council seat being vacated by longtime councilwoman Myrtle Figueras. Meanwhile, the post veteran councilman Bob Hamrick is giving up attracted two candidates: Zack Thompson and Emory Turner. Incumbent Ruth Bruner is the lone candidate for the other council seat up for grabs this year.
Only one of three Gainesville Board of Education seats to be voted on this year attracted more than one candidate. Incumbent Sammy Smith will be opposed by Mike Mauldin. Board member Willie Mitchell is unopposed for re-election and John Filson was the lone candidate to qualify for the post now held by Maria Calkins.
In Clermont, incumbent John Brady did not qualify for re-election and no one else signed up to run either. City Clerk Sandra Helton said Thursday morning "because no one qualified during the mandated statutory qualifying period for Ward 2 (John Brady), we will be holding a special election. Our attorney is currently researching our options and is going to let us know when it will be." Incumbents Seth Weaver and Eric Thomas were the only candidates to qualify for two of the other seats on the town council. The only contested race in Clermont will pit Jimmy McDonald against Joe McGoogan.
Lula incumbent councilman Larry Shuler drew three challengers: Victoria Chambers, Vince Evans and Felton C. Wood, Jr., but incumbents Garnett Smith and Lamb Griffin will be running unopposed.
The only contested race in Oakwood will feature Charles James and Pat Jones vying for the post vacated Jan. 8 by the resignation of Ron McFarland, who said he was stepping down because he was moving from the city. Three other seats drew only one candidate each: incumbent Todd Wilson is the lone candidate for Post 3, and former Hall County Clerk of Courts Dwight Wood and Sheri Millwood are unopposed for Posts 4 and 5, respectively. Post 4 is now represented by Martha Collins and Post 5 by Montie Robinson.
