Tuesday, January 05, 2010
4 Democrats to run for 3 council openings
Republicans will nominate candidates during a mass meeting on Feb. 17.
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From The Roanoke Times
Roanoke Democrats, as they've done consistently over municipal election cycles, will have a contested intraparty race to choose their 2010 city council ticket.
Four candidates will be vying for three Democratic nominations to run in the May general election.
Councilman David Trinkle is the only Democratic incumbent seeking re-election.
Roanoke Democratic Committee Chairman Donald Caldwell said he had received four applications to run for the nomination by Monday's deadline. In the order he received them, which is the order they'll appear on the ballot on March 2, they are:
- Former City Councilman Bill Bestpitch.
- Countryside Golf Course advocate and news blogger Valerie Garner.
- Roanoke lawyer Ray Ferris.
- Incumbent Trinkle.
The council currently consists entirely of Democrats.
The number of party candidates is down from two years ago, when seven competed in a firehouse primary. The primary winners -- Sherman Lea, Anita Price and Court Rosen -- went on to sweep the council elections.
David Bowers, meanwhile, won election to mayor as an independent but rejoined the Democrats during a reorganizational meeting last month.
Republicans will nominate candidates during a mass meeting on Feb. 17, and independents have until March 2 to enter the race.
Robert Craig, a retired Marine colonel who regularly addresses the council, said he's considering a run but didn't specify whether he'd run as an independent or for a party.
The general election is May 4. The deadline to register to vote in the general election is April 5.
