LAUREL HILL — Six residents have qualified to run for three available City Council seats.
Councilwoman Willie Mae Toles, seeking a second term; retired engineer Daniel Lane, and former Laurel Hill mayor and councilwoman Joan Smith qualified for office Dec. 29.
Retired Marine and former military contractor Scott Moneypenny qualified Dec. 30. Residents Debra Adams and Randy Tickle qualifed Jan. 2.
In addition to Toles' seat, the candidates will vie for the seat that Clifton Hall vacated in November 2013 and a seat currently occupied by Betty Williamson, who will not seek reelection, according to city clerk Nita Miller.
Laurel Hill council members serve at large, Supervisor of Elections candidate and absentee coordinator Ray Bolden said.
Since Hall’s resignation, the five-seat council has been short a member, resulting in occasional 2-2 voting deadlocks. The March 10 election's three winners will join returning Councilmen Larry Hendren and Johnny James.
Residents Mary Bradberry, Lane and Moneypenny applied to fill Hall’s seat on an interim basis until the election. Bradberry withdrew from consideration in mid-December.
Until Moneypenny qualified, Toles, Lane and Smith would have automatically attained seats without appearing on the ballot, Supervisor of Elections voter education and public relations coordinator Bridget Richard Krebs said.
The three winning candidates will be sworn into office April 1.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Six vie for three Laurel Hill council seats