Steamboat Pilot & Today

Marcus Williams said he was back in the race for a District 2 seat on the Steamboat Springs City Council, after withdrawing earlier this week.

Moments before an election forum at noon Wednesday, Williams passed out a news release to fellow candidates and the media. The news release said that given his business ventures, he couldn't dedicate the time and energy necessary to run for and serve on the City Council.

However, on Friday, the political newcomer said he had changed his mind.

"Basically, I had a bad day, and I woke up the next morning and realized that if I dropped out, there's no one to replace me," Williams said.

Williams is running for the District 2 seat against Ken Brenner and Kathi Meyer.

Because ballots already had been printed at the time that Williams announced his withdrawal, his name still would have appeared on the ballot, but votes for him would not have counted.

Now that he is back in the race, votes for Williams will count.

City Clerk Julie Jordan said that, as of Friday, she had not been notified that Williams decided to re-enter the race. Although Williams announced he was withdrawing, he never gave her a signed statement to that effect, and therefore his withdrawal wasn't official, she said.

Jordan said from her experience, she has never known a candidate to withdraw from a race and then re-enter it.

It is also rare for candidates to withdraw, she said. A few years ago, a candidate withdrew from a three-way race, but Jordan said that's the only time in her eight years as city clerk that has happened.

Jordan did not comment on whether it makes it more difficult for a candidate to win a race after he or she withdraws and then re-enters but did say it would have been helpful to voters if Williams had participated in the candidate forums.

"I think it's unfortunate ... that he wasn't able to participate in that so the community could hear his viewpoint," Jordan said.

-- To reach Susan Bacon, call 871-4203

or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com