BY LINDA BENTLEY | JANUARY 26, 2011
Carefree Council election, six candidates for six seats
CAREFREE – On Wednesday afternoon, Sonoran News received an e-mail from Karen Smith-Lovejoy saying she was in Florida tending to a family health crisis, which she said “will most likely a long and protracted ordeal, requiring frequent travel back to Florida.”
In light of that recent development Smith-Lovejoy said she was withdrawing her name as a town council candidate.
When we contacted Town Clerk Betsy Wise to confirm Smith-Lovejoy had officially withdrawn, Wise said they received the same e-mail but the mayor was trying to reach her by phone to talk to her.
Wise said the ballots were already printed, so she didn’t want to say it was official until after the mayor spoke to Smith-Lovejoy.
Smith-Lovejoy’s written request to withdraw her candidacy means there will be six council candidates for six seats, although it does present a dilemma for the town clerk in how to deal with it. According to Maricopa County Elections Department, it is also too late to include a notice with the ballots announcing Smith-Lovejoy’s withdrawal.
