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Ed Pope Jr. elected to council; actual election said not needed Edward B. Pope Jr. has been elected to fill the term of departing Washington City council member Anna Norman, announced Wilkes Co. Supervisor of Elections Judge Jim Burton. Pope was the only candidate to qualify, and when the deadline for write-in candidates passed Wednesday without another candidate, Burton said, he was elected without an actual election. "In a situation like this, the law says it's not necessary to hold an election," Burton said. "He voted for himself, and that's all it takes. He's been elected without an election." In a letter to Mayor Willie Burns dated September 7, Burton cited the law that makes the election unnecessary: "The qualifying period was observed as noted in the Call and one candidate, Edward B. Pope Jr., qualified for this Special Election. In O.C.G.A 21-2-285(j) and (k), the procedure for unopposed candidates states in part '... in the event there is no opposed candidate in a precinct in a general or special municipal election, no election shall be held in such precinct unless a writein candidate has qualified.....' Since there are no qualified write-in candidates, I will certify to the Secretary of State that Edward B. Pope Jr. is the winner and upon taking the oath, shall serve the remainder of the aforementioned term." The city saves some $3,000, Burton said, by not having to have voting machines tested, not having ballots printed, and not having to man polls. Burton says that Pope will take office as soon as he can be sworn in, but that time had not been set at press time.
Pope, son of long-time Washington Mayor Edward B. Pope, announced his candidacy for the unfilled portion of Norman's term shortly after her resignation was announced at last month's Washington city council meeting.
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