Incumbent Danville mayor Rickey Williams, Jr has filed an appeal to Jacob Lane’s candidacy with the Danville Election Commission alleging a lack of valid signatures on his petitions.
Mayor Williams is claiming that of the 231 signatures Lane submitted at the time of filing for candidacy, seven are from individuals who live outside the corporate limits of the City of Danville, and that 22 are from individuals not registered to vote in the City of Danville.
Mayor Williams says this means only 209 of the signatures are valid, with 225 being required; and he is asking the Danville Election Commission to remove Lane from the Municipal Election ballot.
Jacob Lane has released a response statement, which includes the following:
“We will not let this set us back,” Lane concluded, adding that he still didn’t have “all the facts” since he had yet to be notified by the Danville Election Commission.
“We’re in this for the long haul, and this is proof that Mayor Williams is scared of our campaign. We’ve had an overwhelming number of folks come out in support of my candidacy, and I think Williams’ latest actions will only confirm what most originally thought of the Mayor.”
Lane added he looks forward to hearing from the Danville Election Commission, and encourages citizens to contact the office until they release the official objection filed by Williams.
“The public has a right to view the document,” he said.
Vermilion Housing Authority Executive Director Jackie Vinson is also a candidate for mayor of Danville, with the election scheduled for April 4, 2023.
The next Danville Election Commission meeting is set for Wednesday, December 14th, at 9 AM.
