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Pettibone fails to qualify

• A would-be independent state House candidate fails to meet qualifications to run.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — The Rev. Rance Pettibone’s quest to challenge Democratic nominee Carol Fullerton for the House District 151 seat in the Nov. 4 general election received a huge blow this week when Secretary of State Karen Handel’s office ruled that Pettibone had not received the required number of certifiable signatures from voters in the district to qualify as an independent candidate.

Pettibone needed around 950 certified signatures from registered voters in the district, but he received word Thursday that more than 450 of the 970-plus signatures he’d received had been thrown out.

“No one at the Secretary of State’s Office had heard of that many signatures being thrown out before,” Pettibone said. “I plan on fighting that, of taking photos of the people who signed my petition with their voter cards, but first I want to move on with my campaign.

“I will go to the Secretary of State’s Office next week and notify them that I plan to run for (the House seat) as a write-in candidate. That’s the first order, to notify the state of your intention. Then I’ll find out what other measures I’ll need to take. But I do not plan to quit. I’m not going to give up until every vote is counted Nov. 4.”

County Board of Registration and Elections Supervisor Carolyn Hatcher said Friday her office had simply followed the state’s guidelines in verifying the signatures submitted by Pettibone.

“The final decision was made by the state,” Hatcher said. “We checked the signatures as was required of our office. We took all the sheets (that were submitted) and looked to see if, a, that person was a registered voter in that district and, b, if the signature matched the signature on their voter registration work.

“Some of the (people named) were not registered voters, some were not registered in that district and some signatures did not match. There were certain guidelines we were instructed to follow, and we followed them.”

Fullerton, who was in California on personal business Friday, said via cell phone she had mixed feelings about the results.

“Mr. Pettibone obviously put in a lot of work (to get the signatures), so I’m sorry that he was unsuccessful in his efforts,” she said. “He’s certainly followed the rules in this process. But (the ruling) certainly makes it easier and less expensive for me to continue with my campaign.

“I expect to continue my original plans as far as getting out my message to the people in District 151. I’ll send a letter to all voters, talk before church and civic groups when I can, and make some door-to-door contacts.”

The District 151 seat is currently held by Rep. Freddie Powell Sims, D-Albany, who will become the state senator for District 12 in January. Fullerton was unopposed in the July 15 Democratic Primary, but Pettibone announced his intentions to qualify as an independent candidate.

“I still believe and will always believe that the people in this district deserve to have at least two candidates in this race,” Pettibone said. “That’s America. My whole campaign is based on faith, family and common sense; I think we need some common sense in Atlanta. I want to provide that.”

Pettibone is the pastor of Second Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church.

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