THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604130369
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
School Board candidate North E. West said Friday that he would drop out of the race, narrowing the field to 15 in the city's first School Board election May 7.
Earlier this month, West said he planned to drop out because he didn't expect media scrutiny of his business affairs described in public records. He also said a business contract might require him to spend a lot of time out of town.
He did not officially withdraw after saying that he would, however. In interviews Friday, he flip-flopped. West first said he would stay in the race. He later said he would not, for the same reasons he previously mentioned.
``I'm just no longer interested,'' he said. ``You can say I've changed my mind . . . for personal reasons.''
West, a 63-year-old Cradock resident, is in the home-repair business.
Because the Voter Registrar's Office began preparing ballots after the March 5 filing deadline, it is unlikely that West's name can be removed from the ballots.
But if a candidate files a withdrawal letter with his local Voter Registrar's Office, officials may then post notices at the polls on Election Day, letting voters know who is no longer in the race, a representative of the state Board of Elections said.
West said he would contact the local office. But he had not submitted a letter by late Friday, Registrar Deloris Overton said.
Five of the School Board's nine seats are up for grabs. ILLUSTRATION: B\W photo
If North E. West withdraws, the field in Portsmouth's first School
Board election will be cut to 15.
KEYWORDS: SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION PORTSMOUTH CANDIDATE by CNB