(WKYT) – A Laurel County judge ruled London Mayor Randall Weddle is not a legal candidate for reelection.
Circuit Judge Michael Caperton ruled in a new order that Weddle does not meet the one-year city residency requirement to run for mayor in November.
[READ THE FULL ORDER BELOW]
The case centered on whether Weddle lives at a home on East Fifth Street in London or at a larger property in Keavy.
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Neighbors, law enforcement and utility records pointed to the Keavy address as his family’s actual home.
The judge also visited both houses and said the London property lacked basic signs of full-time living.
As a result, the court ordered Weddle removed as a candidate from the upcoming London mayor’s race.
The Laurel County Clerks Office told WKYT that they have not received the order yet.
Mayor Weddle’s attorney confirmed to WKYT that they will not appeal the decision.
In a Facebook statement, Weddle said while he respectfully disagrees with the decision, “I accept it and remain grateful to Judge Caperton for his careful consideration of this matter.”
He said he intends “to finish my term strong, continue working every day on behalf of our community, and keep doing the job the people elected me to do.”
Orr responds to ruling
Matt Orr trailed Weddle in the May primary by a small margin of 11 votes.
Orr said his campaign has focused on the words “reset” and “restore,” which appear on his campaign signs.
“Not to say that London is perfect. I don’t think any town is, but it’s been better than in the last three or four years, and I think everybody is ready to reset and restore,” Orr said.
Orr said he believes many people are tired of London being in the news for negativity and said he is ready to change that.
“People don’t like to be known as laughed at throughout the country, and that’s kind of the way London’s been for the last three or four years,” Orr said.
Orr said he has personal experience with the residency requirement.
“I lived out of town for years, out in the county for years, and I had people approach me about running for city offices, and I couldn’t because that was the law that you had,” Orr said.
Orr said he is eager to continue the work to heal London and be elected the next mayor of London.