Platte County Circuit Court Judge James Van Amburg Friday morning ruled against John Carter’s attempt to run as a write-in for ward 3 alderman at Parkville next Tuesday.
The judge offered no details in announcing his ruling.
The judge’s decision upholds the governor’s executive order that moved the election from April to June 2, in which the governor stated the deadline for filing as a write-in candidate “shall remain at 5 p.m. on March 27, 2020.” Carter’s legal position had been that state statute is worded that the deadline for filing as a write-in is the “second Friday prior to the election.”
Doug Bias, whose name is on the ballot in ward 3 against incumbent Robert Lock, has moved out of the ward and would not be eligible to hold the office if elected. This in effect leaves Lock as the only legally qualified candidate on the ballot in ward three on Tuesday, June 2.
After the ruling, Carter told The Landmark he plans to run for office at Parkville in a future election.