Tag Archive for 'city council'

Five Democratic Council Candidates in All

There will be a total of five Democrats on the ballot for two nominations for City Council seats in the June primary, Graelyn Brashear reports for C-Ville Weekly. The candidates are incumbent Kristin Szakos; AHS teacher Wes Bellamy, who moved to Charlottesville three years ago; UVA student Adam Lees; middle school teacher, local man, and nephew of Charles Barbour, Melvin Grady; and three-time candidate, independent-turned-Democrat Bob Fenwick. The primary is on June 11.

James Halfaday Arrested

Erstwhile City Council candidate James Halfaday has been jailed on four counts of election fraud, according to a press release from the Commonwealth Attorney’s office:

The charges allege Mr. Halfaday used a false address when he certified his candidacy for City Council with the General Registrar for the City of Charlottesville.

While the investigation has revealed that Mr. Halfaday is not now nor was he ever an owner of Snap Fitness, Mr. Halfaday has not been charged with an offense related to this false statement at this time. The form filed by Mr. Halfaday did not contain certain language required by the Code of Virginia. As a result, election fraud charges concerning Mr. Halfaday’s statement of economic interest are unlikely.

It’s such an irony that Halfaday apparently so bungled his statement of economic interest that he may have accidentally prevented himself from being charged for lying within it. According to the Progress, the economic interest form failed to have the legally required warning that candidates aren’t allowed to lie.

None of this news is any surprise, of course: questions have been raised about Halfaday’s candidacy since shortly after he came in last place in the race for the Democratic nomination for City Council in August.

5:45pm Update: Lisa Provence has detailed coverage in The Hook. Halfaday was released from jail this afternoon, and is due in court tomorrow.

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