MORGANTOWN — One of three ward races in the upcoming Morgantown municipal election will be contested.
Monday was the deadline for hopeful Morgantown City Council candidates to submit their nominating petitions to Morgantown City Clerk Christine Wade’s office.
The city confirmed Tuesday afternoon that four of the six individuals who picked up candidate packets had been verified by City Clerk Christine Wade’s office..
The candidates on the April 29 ballot will be: Jodi Hollingshead (2nd Ward); Jenny Selin (4th Ward); Stephanie Hunt (6th Ward) and Mark Downs (6th Ward).
Two additional candidates – one in the 2nd Ward and one in the 4th Ward – didn’t gather the needed 75 signatures from within their respective wards to be placed on the ballot.
In addition to four-year terms for the 2nd, 4th and 6th ward council seats, the ballot will include two items for voter consideration.
The first will be an amendment to the city’s charter that would allow city council to waive the residency requirement for the city manager.
Currently, the charter says the city manager doesn’t have to be a city resident at the time of appointment, but “must reside in the city while in office.”
Under the proposed change, the manager “may reside outside the City while in office only with the approval of Council.”
Voters will also be asked to weigh in on a referendum to decide whether Article 1157 (Camping on Public Property) should be repealed.
Upcoming dates in the election process include:
March 30 – The last day for a candidate to withdraw their name from the ballot.
April 7 – The last day to register to vote.
April 15 – The last day for write-in candidates to submit their certificates of announcement.
April 16-26 – Early voting will be held at the Historic Depot Building at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park Monday through Thursday 7 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
April 29 – Election Day. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Polling locations are: Mountaineer Mall (Precinct 1); MHS Auditorium Lobby (Precincts 2A and 2B); First Presbyterian Church (Precinct 10); Morgantown Municipal Airport (Precincts 13 and 31); Wiles Hill Community Center (Precinct 16); Suncrest United Methodist Church (Precincts 23 and 26); Sabraton Hill Baptist Church (Precinct 30).
Additional information, including instructions on how to participate in the election as a poll worker, is available at the city website – morgantownwv.gov.
