The Hall County Elections Office determinations left an incumbent and newcomer unopposed.
College student Pablo Picazo had sought the Ward 1 seat, which was vacated by Danny Dunagan who is running for mayor.
According to the city, the elections office found Picazo didn't have enough signatures from qualified and registered voters of the city to complete the qualifying petition for filing as a pauper.
City clerk Denise Jordan said a candidate needs 110 signatures from registered and qualified voters in the city to qualify to file as a puaper. "He had 146 signatures that were submitted on the petition," she said. "Sixty-five of them were verified to be qualified and registered voters. The remaining were not."
The decision leaves businessman Sam Couvillon as the sole candidate.
Albert Reeves, who had sought to face incumbent George Wangemann in Ward 4, also did not qualify. The elections office determined Reeves was not a registered and qualified voter for the city.
"The city charter requires the mayor and each council member to be registered and qualified to vote in municipal elections of the city," Jordan said.
That decision leaves the council veteran Wangemann unopposed.
Eight candidates did qualify, the only opposed seat was for mayor.
According to the city, anyone wanting to be a write-in candidate must file and publish a Notice of Intention to be a write-in candidate with the city clerk by September 4.
Officials also require a copy of the required advertisement and an affidavit affirming publication. Those items must be filed with the city clerk no later than September 11.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/8/265048