ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996 TAG: 9602270033
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
TAKE FIVE Democrats, three Republicans and one independent, and what do you have? The lineup, so far, for the Roanoke City Council races in May.
Roanoke Democrats have fielded a full slate for City Council elections in May, but Roanoke Republicans still are a couple of candidates short.
Five Democrats filed candidacy declarations Thursday, the deadline the party set for people seeking City Council seats.
They are:
Incumbent Mayor David Bowers, who is running for re-election.
Incumbent Councilwoman Linda Wyatt, an elementary schoolteacher from Northwest Roanoke who is running for re-election to a four-year term.
Former Councilman Jim Trout of South Roanoke, a retired Norfolk Southern Corp. economic development specialist who's making another bid for a four-year term on council.
Carroll Swain of Northwest, who retired as director of school plants from the city school administration in 1992 and is a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Swain is running for a four-year term.
The Rev. Nelson Harris, city School Board chairman, who's running in a special election for the two years left in former Vice Mayor John Edwards' term. Edwards gave up his seat Dec. 31 after his election to the state Senate.
The Democratic mass meeting to nominate them will be held Thursday at the Patrick Henry High School auditorium.
"We're real pleased that we have a full number of candidates and persons who are interested in serving the city," says Sandra Ryals, city Democratic chairwoman.
Republicans, however, still are a couple of slots short of a full slate. The city GOP's deadline for candidates to declare is Thursday, party Chairman William Fralin said.
So far, the Republicans have fielded:
James Patrick "Pat" Green of South Roanoke, an insurance agency owner and retired lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. Green is running for mayor.
Alvin Nash of Northwest, director of housing programs for Total Action Against Poverty, a community action agency. Nash is seeking a four-year term.
Jeff Artis of Southeast, a substitute teacher in city schools who ran unsuccessfully for the House of Delegates last November. Artis is running in the special election for a two-year term.
City Republican Chairman William Fralin said more Republicans are considering council bids, but he declined to name them. The Republican mass meeting is scheduled for March 5 at 5 p.m. at City Hall.
Meanwhile, one independent from Wasena said he's also entering the fray. Joseph Nash, a truck fleet supervisor and chairman of the Wasena Neighborhood Crimewatch, says he'll file for election early next week.
Nash says he's running as an independent because he doesn't want to be beholden to either party when casting votes on City Council.
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CITY COUNCIL MAYORby CNB