From WRIL -
The Middlesboro City Council race 2020 election is shaping up to be a history-making race. In the last 30 days, three incumbents currently on the ballot have withdrawn their names from the race.
Councilwoman Jessie Moberg announced on September 30th that she would be resigning from the council to take a position as Assistant Commonwealth Attorney of the 44th Circuit, Bell County. This state office is incompatible with the seat on the council.
New father Bo Green announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday night October 8th that with the addition of the first child and after serving on the Middlesboro City Council for ten years, he decided to take some time away from the council to spend more time at home with his wife Larah and their newborn son. Green did promise to continue to work with the council and be involved in the city to continue improving Middlesboro, just not from his council seat. He also announced he would be removing his name from the ballot for the November election.
Councilman Alan Farmer tendered his resignation from the council effective November 1st. There was no official statement released by Farmer as to why he decided to leave.
Current city councilman Phillip Ball decided earlier this year that he would not run for another term.
The council has nine seats available with five incumbents running again. They are: Boone Bowling, Glynna Brown, Judy Grandey, Terry Poore, and William "Bill" Smith. There are three individuals that filed as new candidates: Brad Cawood, Corey Eldridge, and Patsy Sullivan. Also, as of this story, there are three individuals that have declared their candidacy as write-ins: Kourtney Glover, Tom Busic, and Travis Moody. Any other write-in candidates would have to formally declare by 4:00 pm Friday, October 23rd.
The ballots will still have the names of those that have withdrawn from the race, but their votes will not count. The names of the write-ins will NOT be on the ballot, nor will they be posted at the voting poll of the Middlesboro Community Center on election day November 3, 2020.
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Friday, October 9th. You can call the clerk’s office at 606-337-6144 or go to www.GoVoteKy.com Ballots may be returned by mail in the postage-prepaid envelope, can be dropped off in the drop box at the old Bell County Courthouse, or at the Middlesboro location of the Bell County Clerk’s Office.
In-person early voting is set for Tuesday, October 13th through Monday, November 2nd Monday through Friday 8:00 am until 4:00 pm and Saturdays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the old Bell County Courthouse and Middlesboro location of the Clerk's Office.
The Middlesboro Community Center is the voting center for the city on election day. The polls open at 6:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm. As long as you are in line at 6:00 pm you will be permitted to vote.
WRIL - The Big One is producing a "Meet The Candidates" video that will be posted on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube). Each candidate will be asked 4 similar questions and all videos - meeting the Tuesday, October 13th deadline - will be combined into one presentation to be published on Wednesday, October 14, 2020.