Eight days before Election Day, Sandra Sidhom is officially no longer a candidate for mayor in Roswell.
A public hearing regarding Sidhom's candidacy was scheduled for Monday, but Roswell's city clerk received a notification from Sidhom that she had withdrawn as a candidate, so the hearing was canceled.
Last week, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard ruled that Sidhom was disqualified from the election for violating a state law. Howard wrote in a letter to Roswell elections superintendent Marlee Press that Sidhom has not lived in Roswell for a full year.
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The ruling stemmed from Eric Schumacher, a Roswell resident who submitted an official challenge on Sidhom’s qualification as a candidate.
Sidhom, 25, is a graduate of Roswell High School. Had she won the race, she would've been the first minority to have been elected mayor of Roswell. According to her Facebook page, she is the daughter of Egyptian immigrants.
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She was the second to announce her candidacy in Roswell, shortly before a judge ruled that current and longtime mayor Jere Wood had violated term limits and wouldn't be allowed to seek re-election. The judge ruled that Wood was to be removed from office immediately, but the mayor appealed and is allowed to stay in his seat while that case is ongoing.
That ruling stemmed from a lawsuit from Michael Litten, who was the first to announce his candidacy for mayor of Roswell. After the ruling, councilmembers Lori Henry and Donald J. Horton jumped in the race, along with pastor Lee Jenkins.
On Saturday, Sidhom endorsed Litten in a Facebook post: "Regardless of the outcome of Monday's hearing, I encourage voters to seriously consider Michael Litten for Mayor. He has a real vision for our community, he has a relentless commitment to accountability and transparency, a passion for environmental conservation, and most importantly he CANNOT be bought. I have grown to respect and admire this man through my time on the campaign trail and he is committed to our collective prosperity and will represent all of Roswell."
Litten commented on the post saying he was “deeply touched” by Sidhom’s words, but would prefer her to be able to stay in the race. He added that he planned to attend the now cancelled public hearing to show his support for her.
When reached by the AJC for comment, Sidhom sent the letter she submitted to the city clerk’s office. In it she writes that she “firmly believes” she met “all residency requirements” but decided to withdraw rather than continue investigations “which would ultimately place an undue burden on myself and the taxpayers of this city and county.”
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