ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 1, 1996 TAG: 9604010068
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SCOTTSVILLE
SOURCE: Associated Press
Some residents of this central Virginia town are quietly waging a write-in campaign to keep their 86-year-old retiring mayor in office.
A. Raymon Thacker, believed to be the longest-serving mayor in Virginia, announced his retirement and was honored by the General Assembly in February for his 30 years of service. Legislators gave Thacker a proclamation wishing him ``a long and fulfilling retirement.''
But some supporters say they don't want Thacker to step down.
``It's a pretty full-fledged effort,'' said the Rev. James Jetton, a Town Council member. ``We need him for another term at least.''
Thacker, a retired mortician, would be competing against official candidates Robert K. Spencer and Andy Johnson, both Town Council members, in the May 7 town elections.
Jetton said Thacker has assured him that he would accept the two-year term should he be elected with write-in votes.
``He has told me and others that he will accept it,'' Jetton said.
But Thacker said Friday he would rather not discuss it.
``I'm not going to comment on anything regarding the election, because I'm not a candidate on the ballot,'' Thacker said. ``It is maybe a rumor, but I don't know anything about it.''
Scottsville has 233 registered voters. In 1994, Thacker won re-election with 115 votes. His opponent, John Meder, got 35 votes. In all, 152 people cast ballots in the mayoral and Town Council elections.
Some town residents and candidates say they would like to know whether Thacker would accept the write-in votes. His term expires July1.
``Now it seems he actually hasn't made up his mind,'' Spencer said. ``It's going to be a three-way sort of thing.''
Spencer said he took the unusual step of running for both mayor and Town Council because of the possibility that Thacker would receive enough write-in votes to win the election.
Thacker, who ran unopposed 14 straight times until the 1994 election, is credited with negotiating a deal with Albemarle County officials for the town to annex more than 800 acres of county land, nearly doubling the town's population.
The soft-spoken Scottsville native also is known for securing federal funds to build a levee, ending years of devastating floods by the James River.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Despite his announcement to retire, some Scottsvilleby CNBresidents plan to re-elect Mayor Raymon Thacker with write-ins
votes. KEYWORDS: POLITICS MAYOR