Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 5, 1992 TAG: 9203050199
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bishop said Wednesday he is disappointed that his bid ended so quickly, but he thinks the result confirmed his political message.
"People are interested in government, but many won't bother to get involved or even to register," he said.
Bishop, who had announced Saturday that he was running, obtained 153 signatures on his petition. State election laws require 125, and Bishop thought he had a safe cushion.
But 53 people who signed were not registered voters in the city.
Shelva Painter, city registrar, said election officials reviewed Bishop's petition - as the law requires - to make sure all the names were registered voters. "We found he was short, so he won't be on the ballot."
The filing deadline for independent candidates was 7 p.m. Tuesday. Bishop filed before the deadline, but the law does not allow him to collect more signatures now that election officials have found he did not have enough.
"It is discouraging because I thought the support was there," Bishop said. "The people have an interest is what's happening, but they are not involved."
Bishop, who launched his political career at a booth in Happy's Flea Market, had been confident he would get the necessary signatures this past weekend. He had rented the booth for his campaign headquarters.
"I asked everyone who signed the petition if they lived in the city and whether they were a registered voter," Bishop said. "I guess some people were mistaken or too embarrassed to admit that they weren't registered."
Bishop thought about trying to run a write-in campaign, but he concluded that would be futile. Bishop said he may run in 1994 in the next council election. "If I do run, I'll give myself more time to collect the signatures."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB