All four candidates in the special election for Ward Threealdermen have completed the qualifying process, and potentialcandidates now have less than a week to sign up, city officialssaid.

The qualifying petition for David Howard, of 545 South RailroadAve., was verified last week, said Bonita Bullock, BrookhavenElection Commission chairwoman. He joined Mrs. Jerry L. Wilson,former alderman Clarence B. “Doc” Johnson and fire equipmentbusiness owner George Faust on the official candidate list.

The special election to fill the unexpired term of formeralderman the Rev. Jerry L. Wilson is Feb. 10. Wilson took office atLincoln County District One supervisor this year.

The candidate qualifying deadline is Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. Bullocksaid it seems unlikely that any other candidates would qualify.

“By this time, I don’t think so,” Bullock said. “We’d have toget their petitions and verify that (signers) are in the ward.”

To qualify, a candidate must collect the signatures of 50registered voters in Ward Three.

In verifying petitions, Bullock said she found signatures ofpeople who now live in Ward Three but are registered elsewhere. Theinvalid signatures did not affect candidate qualifying.

“They had to get more than 50 to make sure they had the 50,”Bullock said. “They’re all OK.”

The signatures of those not registered in Ward Three did notappear in the Ward Three poll book. The situation creates thepossibility that some people who signed petitions in support of acandidate’s qualifying may not be able to vote for him or her onelection day.

“They’ll have to vote an affidavit ballot,” said Bullock.

After contacting the Secretary of State’s office, Bullock said arunoff election will be needed if no candidate receives a majorityof the vote on Feb. 10. The runoff between the top two vote-getterswill be Feb. 17.

The winner will serve through June 2005.

Absentee voting in the special election is scheduled to beginMonday, Feb. 2.

The City Clerk’s Office will also be open until 7 p.m., Feb.2-6, for that purpose. It also will be open Saturday, Feb. 7, from8 a.m. until noon for absentee voting, said City Clerk Iris RudmanSmith.

Rudman Smith said voters may vote absentee by mail. Mailedballots, which can be requested from the city clerk’s office, mustbe returned in the mail to the post office by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb.9.