Handful of candidates declare

With one week left for qualifying, the ballots are taking shape for five municipal elections this year in Oconee County.  By 10:15 this morning, according to Kristi Burr of county elections, the field shaped up this way: For mayor in Seneca, one candidate—the incumbent Dan Alexander; for the four available council seats:  incumbents Al Gaines, Dana Moore, Ronnie O’Kelley, and Stuart Pohl; for three available Walhalla council seats:  incumbent Keith Pace and newcomers Tyler Jordan and Grant Keehn; for two West Union council seats, candidates are Carla Hancox and Kathy Frederick; for three Westminster council seats, incumbent Yousef Mefleh is alone in his city’s field.  In Salem, two councilmen have qualified to run again:  Jimmy Barker and Russell Patterson.  Election Day in Seneca, Walhalla, West Union, Westminster, and Salem will be November 2.