The Tampa Bay Times reports a past president of the St. Petersburg Democratic Club wants two City District 4 candidates blocked from the Aug. 27 primary election.
James Donelon is accusing both front-runner Darden Rice and Dr. David McKalip of filing a “false oath” of candidacy “in violation of the St. Petersburg City Charter.”
To qualify for candidacy for the City Council, candidates must sign an affidavit swearing they have lived in the zone for no less than 12 months prior to the election.
The Times says Donelon filed a petition with the City Clerk, the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections and the Florida Ethics Commission. He accuses Rice, McKalip and city officials of failing to follow the law.
At issue is a Times article published last month about the redrawing of the city district boundaries in March of this year. Redistricting forced Rice and McKalip to rent homes in District 4 to meet residency requirements in their bids for the City Council seat vacated by term-limited Leslie Curran.
The two candidates had previously criticized the redistricting, each saying they would move into District 4 to run for the City Council seat.
According to City Clerk Eva Andujar, candidates pledge to their eligibility when filing for candidacy. She says does not have the power to investigate residency claims.
Andujar says the only remedy for Donelon is to take his accusations to court. Donelon,69, says he will not go any further with his allegations.
Rice maintains she followed election laws by establishing residency, even though the new residence is not her first home.
Residency issues are now going beyond District 4. Another residency claim had cropped up this week in the District 2 race, where Lorraine Margeson announced her challenge of Jim Kennedy for his City Council seat. On Monday, Margeson was warned by Chief Assistant Attorney Mark Winn that she could be facing perjury charges if she claims District 2 as her residency for the previous 12 months.
“The redistricting process has been a fiasco,” Rice told the Times. “It has made it difficult for aspiring candidates. I have followed the rules every step of the way.”
