Ward 2 Alderman James “Jim” Gowan has registered with the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office as a write-in candidate for Hillsboro mayor in the April 7 election.
Frank A. Roland, 81, who served as mayor of Hillsboro for 20 years, was the only candidate who had filed for the position. He died on March 9.
Gowan has been filling in as mayor. He said Roland had asked him to serve in his stead.
“Mayor Roland had talked to me for some time. I was president of the board of aldermen, elected by the other aldermen,” Gowan said. “The mayor wanted me to fill in. He asked me if I would continue on, and I am pleased to and do the best I can for them (city residents).”
Gowan said he would make no major changes if he is elected mayor.
“As mayor I would like to continue the progress Mayor Roland made, continue with our street improvements, bring in new businesses,” he said. “We’ve been working toward that. We have a good master plan in effect. Basically, I want to continue that process.”
Although Gowan has filed his intent to run as a write-in candidate, his name will not be on the ballot.
Roland’s name, however, will still appear on the ballot. His death came after the deadline to remove candidates’ names from the ballot, County Clerk Wes Wagner said.
“Some voters may not know that Frank Roland has died,” Wagner said. “He could get more votes than Jim Gowan. If he does, then a vacancy would exist.”
If Gowan wins as a write-in, he would serve a two-year term. If more voters cast ballots for Roland, Wagner said the board would have to decide whether to appoint someone to serve until next April, when an election would be held for the final year of the two-year term.
Gowan, 76, lives at 10296 Micah Lane. He is retired as director of operations for Cauttrell Enterprises, a steel manufacturer, but still serves the company as a consultant. He is married with three grown children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He has been on the city’s Board of Aldermen for nine years.
“If I’m elected it will be a pleasure to serve,” he said. “If not, I have another year to serve as alderman. Either way I hope to serve the city of Hillsboro.”
County Clerk Wes Wagner said there are two things voters must do to vote for a write-in candidate.
“They must color in the circle on the write-in line and write in the name of the candidate,” Wagner said.
He said in races in which a write-in candidate registers in advance, a team of election judges will examine each ballot, which may cause a delay in the results. Voters will be excused for poor spelling if their intent is clear, Wagner said.
The deadline to file as a registered write-in candidate for the April 7 election was March 27.
For a write-in candidate’s votes to be counted, he or she must have registered before the deadline or be running for an office where no candidate has filed, according to state law.