The city is holding a special election in November to fill the City Council seat held by mayor-elect Andre Sayegh.
Sayegh hasn’t resigned from his post. He has said he will resign the day before his inauguration.
The city clerk’s office on Monday morning opened up the nomination process for candidates interested in vying for the 6th Ward seat.
Three candidates – educator Al Abdelaziz, planning board member Jesus Castro, and former school board member Juan “Mitch” Santiago — have submitted letters to the council. Each is looking to be appointed to the seat.
Sayegh favors appointing Abdelaziz, who played an important role in the councilman’s landslide election victory, to the seat.
The council hasn’t decided whether to appoint someone or keep the seat vacant until voters select a representative in five months. In the past, the city council has refused to make appointments for fear of giving the appointed individual an advantage in the special election.
In late 2014, the council appointed pastor James Staton to fill the seat vacated by disgraced councilman Anthony Davis. Staton approached the council and pledged not to seek the 1st Ward seat in the special election.
Staton promise to not run for the seat was the key reason the council appointed him to the seat.
Businessman Michael Jackson won the seat in the special election in November 2015.
A candidate needs to submit 136 signed petitions to qualify to be on the ballot for the November special election, according to the clerk’s office.
The winner of the special election will serve until Jun. 30, 2020.
Deadline to submit petitions is Sept. 4, 2018 at 4 p.m.
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