• Challenger didn’t sign up because of ward confusion at Lake.

By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

A last-minute write-in candidate at Lake Waccamaw wanted to be on the original ballot, but another candidate’s comment kept him out of the race until last week.

Roland Wagner said he wanted to sign up in the East Ward race on the last day of filings, but when he ran into fellow challenger Curtis Andrews at the Board of Elections office, Wagner decided not to run.

Wagner had originally planned to run for the East Ward seat currently held by Earl Harris.

“Mr. Andrews…told me that he had filed against the incumbent in the East Ward,” Wagner wrote in a statement to The News Reporter. “Not wanting to split the vote, I chose not to file.”

Later that afternoon, Wagner said, Andrews was notified by Carla Strickland of the Columbus County Board of Elections that Andrews is a resident of the West Ward, not the East. Andrews corrected his filing and is on the ballot with fellow challenger Lynn Cain and incumbent Teddy Tedder.

The Board of Elections made the decision based on incorrect information from the town, Wagner said. Andrews asked the board specifically which ward included his address.

Wagner said he decided to run a write-in campaign after discussion with supporters and residents. He is up against incumbent commissioner Harris and another write-in candidate, former mayor pro tem and commissioner Cathy Neilson.

Lake Waccamaw’s commissioners serve four-year terms.