Filing for the 5th Ward will reopen Monday for five days, after Councilman Dave Griffith withdraws his name from the ballot.
At the City Council meeting Tuesday, Griffith announced both his resignation and withdrawal from the uncontested race effective Friday. Griffith, whose first term ends April 2012, has taken a position as the new American Red Cross Capital Area Chapter executive director. The Red Cross has a policy that no employee can be an elected official.
Griffith is the only candidate to have filed for the 5th Ward seat and, because state law mandates the ballot must be certified by Jan. 24, the city must reopen filing for a period of five days. Those who file and meet code requirements will be placed on the April 3 ballot to run for a full term on the council.
City code requires a candidate have the endorsements of three registered voters in the ward they seek to represent and complete a declaration of candidacy form in the city clerk's office.