By By Adrienne McKenzie
Tuesday was the final day to qualify for the opportunity to run in the municipal election, which will occur Aug. 26.
Incumbent Howard Shell will run against Gil Bonner for Atmore mayor. Shell qualified on July 1 and Bonner qualified July 7.
Shell has worked with the city for 20 years. He was a councilman for two years and has spent 18 years in the mayor’s seat. He is a Korean War veteran and attends First United Methodist Church. He is also a member of the VFW, the American Legion, the Lions Club, the Scottish Rite and Masonic Lodge. His wife is Nanette Shell.
For more information about Shell, see page 2A of today’s Advance.
Bonner is a 1987 graduate of Escambia County High School. He attended Jefferson Davis Community College in 1988 and Troy State University from 1989-91. He also attended Troy State’s Florida campus for business management from 1994-95.
Bonner’s wife is the former Kyna Rutherford. The couple have two children, Jackson and Lillian.
For more information about Bonner, see page 2A of Sunday’s Advance.
For city council District 1 incumbent Webb Nall will run against Anthony Williams. Incumbent Eldred Pritchett is opposed by Thomas McNeal for the city council District 2 seat. Newcomers Sam Holley and Christopher Walker will vie for the position of city council District 3. Current District 4 council member John Garrard and District 5 council member Jim Staff will both run unopposed. Each individual who qualified for a city council position did so on July 1.
Those who qualified for a municipal seat are eligible voters of Atmore. They must reside within city limits during the term of office if they are elected, according to the Alabama League of Municipalities (ALM).
Candidates for election must have been residents of the municipality for at least 90 days before the election, the ALM states.
According to the ALM, the clerk and current mayor have no right to judge any qualifications of candidates. If there are any questions raised regarding any candidates, a decision must be made in court.
Municipal elections will be held Aug. 26. Candidates are permitted to appoint a poll watcher that will watch voting procedures in polling locations. The appointment of the watcher must be made in writing, signed by the candidate and turned in with election officials at the polling location.
If it is necessary, a runoff will be held on Oct. 7.
Candidates who win the election will take office on Nov. 3.