Qualifying will be held through Wednesday for the post of Franklin Springs mayor. The post was vacated when former Mayor Lee Moore resigned earlier this year to run for State Senate. Qualifying for the election will be held at Franklin Springs City Hall Aug. 17-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The qualifying fee to run for mayor is $360.
FRANKLIN SPRINGS – The city of Franklin Springs has scheduled a special election for mayor in November.
The election will fill the unexpired term of Lee Moore.
In February, Moore announced he would run for the District 50 State Senate seat being vacated by John Wilkinson to run for Congress.
Once Moore qualified, he was forced by state law to resign as mayor of Franklin Springs.
Since Moore’s resignation, Mayor Pro-Tem Tom Wilson has served as acting mayor.
At the time of Moore’s resignation, city officials stated an election would not be held for the mayor’s position until regular city elections in 2021, when Moore’s four-year term would have ended.
On June 9, Moore won Franklin County but finished fifth in the six-person race district-wide for the Republican nomination for the State Senate seat.
During the Franklin Springs City Council meeting in June, Moore announced his intention to qualify to return to the mayor’s seat when the next election was held.
In July, the city sent an ad to the Franklin County Citizen Leader advertising a special election to be held Nov. 3.
Qualifying for the election will be held at Franklin Springs City Hall Aug. 17-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
The qualifying fee to run for mayor is $360.
When asked about the change in the city’s decision to have a special election, Wilson said the original decision to delay the vote until 2021 was made before the city’s attorney, Matt Skilling, and election officials were consulted.
“At the time, we weren’t sure how it would play out or what the rules were,” Wilson said. “The city’s attorney spoke with state and local election officials and learned municipal positions’ elections had to be folded into the November election.”
Wilson also said at the end of qualifying, if no one else qualifies to run against Moore, then the council can vote to install him as mayor immediately and he can complete his term.