Dec 26 2007
Atlantic Beach Mayoral Candidate Arrested
Retha Pierce Sturdivant, a candidate for Atlantic Beach mayor in the town’s disputed election, was arrested early Wednesday morning and charged with reckless driving and failing to give a proper signal.
She was booked at J. Reuben Long Detention Center at about 3 a.m. Wednesday morning and stayed overnight. She will appear in magistrate’s court this morning, jail officials said.
Pierce Sturdivant defeated incumbent Mayor Irene Armstrong by one vote in the Nov. 6 election. Armstrong said four voters who were turned away should have been allowed to vote.
On Nov. 15, the town’s election commission voted to hold another election, but that decision is being challenged by Pierce Sturdivant in court.
I’m sure that after this she’ll be quite passionate about not having a second election held. Getting arrested while running for mayor is certainly a great way to get your name out there, though I’m not sure notoriety is one of the qualities your average voter is wanting in their town leadership. Then again, New Orleans reelected Williams Jefferson to Congress so maybe I’m wrong. This could be a badge of honor for Ms Sturdivant.
[...] about the election outcome. The current mayor, Retha Pierce, while running for the office was arrested for reckless driving and resisting arrest. She got elected anyway as the mayor and now this model of the community has already been [...]