Turner ends contest of Uniontown election results

Published 12:00 am Monday, June 27, 2005

UNIONTOWN-After nine long months the questions surrounding Eugene Booker’s election to the Uniontown City Council have ended. In a last minute move on the day set for trial Beatrice Turner dismissed her case that Booker had been inappropriately elected to the District Four seat.

Booker was elected to the council in last year’s elections where he defeated Mary Ann Flowers and then District Four councilperson Beatrice Turner. Turner contested the election arguing Booker did not live in an area that qualified him to run for the District Four seat. Turner said her arguments had nothing to do with illegal votes, she simply felt Booker was not qualified because of the location of his residence.

Turner did not question the legality of Turners suit stating she was within her legal rights to make sure everything was done according to the law. He did feel that a peaceful solution was long overdue and was glad to see the contest come to an end.

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“It’s way past time for this thing to be over,” Booker said. “If she had won I would have just shook her hand and gone on, but she had a right to do this and this is what she did.”

With the contest behind him Booker said he would now focus on the needs of the people of District Four full force. Booker said he was ready to move forward and help Uniontown flourish any way he could.

“I’m just glad its over,” Booker said. “Now I can concentrate on working for the people of the Fourth District and the city’s business.”

While Booker agreed Turner was within her legal rights, he felt there should never have been a question as to where he lived and his ability to hold the District Four seat.

“She knew where I lived,” Booker said. “Everybody knew where I lived. I had people lined up to testify where I lived, but nine months is a long time to have something like this hanging over you and the bottom line is I’m just glad its over.”

When contacted Turner declined comment.