NORMAN — Ward 3 Norman City Council candidate Benjamin Joel Carter, 800 Bass Court Norman, has said he is withdrawing from the city council race, but his name still will appear on the April 2 ballot.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances regarding my residency within Ward 3, at the end of this week, I will no longer be eligible for the position,” Carter said. “At the time of my filing, I had no intention of leaving Ward 3, but I am reminded that, ‘Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.’”

Carter said he was committed to the campaign and was “looking forward to the exchanging of ideas with my constituents and the current Ward 3 council member in the local forums. I wish to send my sincerest regret for this unforeseen circumstance and to wish Council Member Robert Castleberry the best of luck during his next two years as the Ward 3 city council member.

“Thank you for your patience and hopeful understanding of my situation.”

This year’s election includes the race for mayor and for odd-numbered council seats.

Running for Ward 1 are Greg Heiple, 48, 1021 Laird’s Wood Circle, and Roger Gallagher, 72, 1522 E. Boyd St.

Gallagher is the incumbent. A Vietnam veteran, he has been a Norman resident since 1976 and has lived in Ward 1 the entire time. He has served as the Ward 1 council member since July 2011.

Heiple is a life-long Norman resident, small business owner and father of two sons. He said he is passionate about his hometown and understands the importance of Norman’s authentic mix of culture, diversity and history while maintaining a vibrant business community.

In Ward 5, Lynne Miller, 67, 801 48th Ave. SE, and Dave Spaulding, 38, 6700 NE 103rd Ave., will face off.

Miller is a retired Norman Public School principal and a small-business owner. She has been a resident of the ward for more than 25 years and is a lifetime Norman resident.

Spaulding is the incumbent and a lifetime resident of Ward 5. He and his brothers were raised on a family homestead and he still lives nearby. A graduate of Life Christian School, Spaulding is an entrepreneur and small-business owner.

Running for Ward 7 are Linda Lockett, 74, 910 Elm Ave., and Stephen Tyler Holman, 28, 1030 S. College Ave.

Lockett is the incumbent, a former small-business owner and life-long resident of Norman and Ward 7. She attended McKinley Elementary School and Norman High School and is a graduate of the OU Business School with a degree in management.

Holman works for a family owned business in downtown Norman. He is the fourth generation of his family to call Norman home. He currently serves on the 2060 Strategic Water Supply Committee and is the liaison for the city element in organizing the Norman Music Festival.

Three candidates have filed to run for mayor: Thomas E. Sherman, 67, 2811 Majesty Court; David Kempf, 51, 317 Towry Drive; and incumbent Cindy Rosenthal, 62, 903 Carey Drive.

Sherman retired from McClain Bank, a family owned business, in 2010. He completed his year as chair of the Norman Chamber, then decided to go back to work. He is currently the controller for Fowler Holding Company.

Kempf is a small-business owner and entrepreneur. He has been a Norman resident since 1991. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, is married and has two children.

Rosenthal was elected mayor in 2007. She is the director of the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma. She and husband, Jim, have two adult children, Caitlin and Aaron, and live with their canine friends Lenny and Sandy.

Friday is the last day to register in time to be eligible to vote in the April 2 election. Because the city election is nonpartisan, Norman residents may vote for candidates within their wards, regardless of party affiliation.

Election Board Secretary Jim Williams said persons who are United States citizens, residents of Oklahoma and who are at least 18 years old may apply to become registered voters. To vote on April 2, application forms that are mailed must be postmarked no later than midnight Friday.

Oklahoma Voter Registration Application forms are available at the County Election Board office, 641 E. Robinson St. in Norman, and at all tag agencies, post offices and public libraries in the county. Williams said applications also are available on the internet at www.clevelandcountyelectionboard.com.

Four candidate forums are coming up this month in Norman City Council chambers, 201 W. Gray St.:

· 6 p.m. March 18, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of police

· 7 p.m. March 21, sponsored by the Norman Sustainability Network

· 6 p.m. March 27, sponsored by the Norman Chamber of Commerce

· 6:30 March 28, sponsored by League of Women Voters

Joy Hampton

366-3539

jhampton@

normantranscript.com

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