A Columbus mayoral candidate may have to sue to be on the ballot.
The Columbus Municipal Republican Election Committee declined to certify Garthia Halbert, who attempted to qualify as a Republican candidate, for the mayoral election. Chairman Robert Wilber said in a statement issued to The Dispatch the committee did not certify Halbert on Monday because she failed to meet residency requirements.
Halbert’s address, according to her qualification paperwork filed with the city registrar’s office, is 809 Second Ave. N. However, the residence has a “For Rent” sign displayed in the front yard and appeared to be vacant when The Dispatch visited it in person on Monday.
A spokesperson with Riverhill Property Management and Real Estate, which owns the property, said Halbert “is not a tenant and never has been.”
Wilbur said the committee had not received any indication that Halbert lived elsewhere in the city.
“It seems to me that if you state something as so, that’s it,” Wilbur said. “No other address has been brought forward as a substitute.”
Wilbur told The Dispatch Halbert would be notified of the committee’s decision by certified mail.
Earlier Monday afternoon before Wilbur’s press release, Halbert seemed confident she would be on the ballot when asked if she had received any notification of the committee’s decision.
“It’s a formality, hun,” she said in an email. “I’ll be on the ballot. If not, I’ll sue.”
When contacted Monday evening after the committee’s decision came down, Halbert said she plans to address the issue. Halbert said she put the Second Avenue North address as her residence because she intended to move into the location from her current Southside residence. She said she no longer intends to move to the rental property, however.
“I will fix the residency requirements,” Halbert said. “I do live in the city of Columbus.”
Halbert declined to disclose her current address, citing personal matters.
Halbert recently agreed to seek treatment at Community Counseling Services after a lunacy court hearing in late February in Lowndes County Chancery Court. Wilbur said that hearing did not affect the committee’s decision.
“By law, that cannot weight our decision,” he said. “Address, voter registration and background check — those are the three things that can be looked at. The address was the first one, bold and up front, and it didn’t check out.”
Without Halbert on the ballot, no Republicans are running for mayor. Incumbent Robert Smith will face former Columbus police chief Selvain McQueen in the Democratic primary, and Montrell Coburn is running as an independent.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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