Field Notes: Schintzius Spurned

Electoral Board rejects Schintzius’ appeal, setting mayoral field at eight

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The Richmond Electoral Board on Thursday rejected community activist Alan Schintzius’ appeal to appear on the November mayoral ballot, leaving the number of remaining candidates at eight.

Mayoral candidates were required to provide by June 14 the signatures of 500 registered voters, including 50 from each of the nine council districts, to qualify to appear on the ballot. Schintzius, who announced his candidacy in the spring, turned in 500 signatures, but the registrar’s office determined he was seven shy of meeting the 50-signature threshold in the 8th district, covering much of South Richmond.

Schintzius had until Monday, June 27 to file an appeal. To put it together, he says he drove more than 400 miles, traversing the city in search of voters from whom he needed more information. “For me, it was the equivalent of searching for a needle in a haystack in the middle of a hurricane,” he said.

At Thursday’s meeting, Registrar J. Kirk Showalter recommended the three-person body accept three of the 10 signatures for which Schintzius provided more information, leaving him four short of meeting the threshold. Showalter said her office could not certify the remaining signatures were either registered 8th district voters, or else qualified to vote in the upcoming elections based on their current addresses. Schintzius requested additional time to meet the requirements, but the board denied his request, citing state guidelines that govern the appeals process.

"It wasn't entirely clear what manner and form of documentation they required. I simply identified people," he said after the meeting. 

The decision means eight candidates have qualified to appear on the November ballot: West End Councilman Jon Baliles, former Venture Richmond executive Jack Berry, retired real estate consultant Bobby Junes, former state Delegate and Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Morrissey, City Council President Michelle Mosby, former Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney, former Councilman Bruce Tyler and architect Lawrence Williams.

Schintzius joins several candidates who either did not meet the required number of signatures or else dropped out before the filing deadline. Those include strip club owner Mike Dickinson, community strategist Lillie A. Estes, businessman Brad Froman, former councilman L. Shirley Harvey, RPS teacher Chad Ingold, former VCU student Nate Peterson, candidate Amon Rayford and former councilman Chuck Richardson.