WILLIAMS - Mayoral and city council candidates have been confirmed for the city of Williams primary election to be held March 9. The deadline to return candidate packets was Dec. 9.
Incumbent Mayor John Moore will be up against William Andrew Brock in the mayoral race.
Six candidates will vie for three open city council seats. Incumbent city councilmen Donald Dent and Kevin T. Young returned packets as did Bernie Hiemenz, Lee Payne, Gerald (Buck) Williams, and Mark Pixley. Andrew Hamby is not seeking reelection.
Williams City Planner Harry Holmes said Feb. 4 is the next key election date. Early ballots will be ready for distribution and available at City Hall and sample ballots will be prepared.
"The candidate information just went over to Patricia Hanson at the County Elections Department along with instructions to use the same language as in 2006 for the Home Rule," Holmes said. "From that they'll create the ballot proof that will come back to us and to the candidates. And after that the early ballots will come out."
Holmes said election procedures will be the same as in past years with two polling places available as well as the option to mail in early ballots. He went on to say that everything is in place for candidates to begin campaigning.
"Candidates have satisfied their documentation and that stuff is already over at the county. They're good to go. Their names are going to be on the ballots. They can start campaigning and probably already have."
Citizens must register to vote by Feb. 8 and all ballots must be received by March 5.
Along with the city positions up for re-election, voters will have the opportunity to renew or discontinue the city of Williams' Home Rule Option. The Home Rule Option is an alternative expenditure limitation allowing municipalities to set their own spending limits.
Voters have approved Home Rule in Williams since 1990, renewing the option every four years.
The city of Williams operates under the Council-Manager form of government. Elections are held in the spring of even-numbered years. The mayor serves a two-year term and council members are elected for four-year terms with three Council members up for re-election every two years.
A candidate is elected at the Primary if he or she receives a majority (more than 50 percent) of the votes cast. If one or more of the contested seats is not filled at the Primary, a General Election will be held May 18.
