COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
Katrina Shealy, one of the 250+ candidates kicked off one of the many statewide ballots in June's primary, says she's got the signatures to prove she can run for office as a petition candidate.
Shealy plans on filing her petition candidacy with the state Election Commission on Wednesday. She says she's received more than 3,000 signatures from voters in Senate District 23 who want to see her on the ballot.
If approved, Shealy would be once again running against incumbent Lexington Sen. Jake Knotts.
Shealy's potential petition candidacy is just the latest in the ongoing political rivalry between the two.
Shealy was removed from the ballot shortly before the June primary after being ruled ineligible to run. Election officials say Shealy and other candidates failed to meet filing deadlines.
Shealy fought to have her name restored to the ballot before the primary through a protest hearing with the state Republican Party.
Despite a unanimous decision to restore her to the GOP ballot in District 23, the state Election Commission said she still would not appear on the ballot because a critical deadline set by a Supreme Court decision had already passed.
"Katrina Shealy was not certified as a
candidate for Senate District 23," commission spokesman Chris Whitmire
said. "As an agency of the State of South Carolina, the state Election
Commission has no authority to accept additional candidates after the
May 4, 2012 noon deadline set by the Supreme Court."
Shealy plans on making a statement after filing her petition.
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