ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 23, 1995                   TAG: 9503230075
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short


CANDIDATE'S HOME IS BEDFORD COUNTY

Mike Brown lives in Bedford County.

That's the word from county Registrar Marie Batten, who said Wednesday that she is satisfied that Brown, who is seeking the Republican nomination for sheriff, fulfills the residency requirement to run for office.

"With the question of his residency arising, I invited Mike Brown to the office to discuss the issue of his domicile and place of abode in Bedford County," Batten said. "He answered my questions sufficiently to remain a registered voter of this locality."

Batten said she was convinced that Brown legally lives in the county because he has a Bedford County address on his driver's license, receives mail in Bedford County and has registered his vehicle in the county for personal property taxes.

However, according to Virginia law, if three registered voters disagree with Batten, they can petition the Bedford County Circuit Court to challenge Brown's residency.

Some voters already have questioned whether Brown lives in Bedford County or Botetourt County. He

Brown lived in the same Botetourt County house for almost 20 years until Jan. 1, when he rented an apartment in Montvale. Twenty-five days later, he announced he was running for sheriff of Bedford County. The next day, he registered to vote in the county.

His wife and family still live in the house in Botetourt. Brown says they're planning to build a house in Bedford County this summer.

Keywords:
POLITICS


Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.

by CNB