House Candidate Ineligible, Withdraws From Race

The number of candidates running for the Georgia House District 21 seat is now down to five.

Eduardo Correia, who registered on Tuesday to run as an independent for the house seat being vacated by State Rep. Sean Jerguson (R-Holly Springs), has withdrawn from the race.

Correia does not live in the district, which makes him ineligible to run for the seat.

Cherokee County Elections Supervisor Janet Munda said it was early Wednesday morning when she noticed "he didn’t live in the district." Munda said she contacted Correia to inform him of the discrepancy and he subsequently backed out of the race. 

Georgia Secretary of State Spokesman Jared Thomas said the state qualifies candidates if they fill out and sign an affidavit confirming they live in the district they are running for. 

"The onus is on the candidate to know which district they live in before they qualify," he said. 

That now leaves Republicans Scot Turner, Brian Laurens, Bill Fincher, Kenneth Mimbs and Democrat Natalie Bergeron as the candidates voters in the district will see on their Jan, 8, 2013, special election ballot. 

Tomorrow is the last day to register to vote in the race. Early voting begins at the Cherokee County Elections and Voter Registration's office on Monday.