Candidate for Madison County Superintendent hasn't lived in the county

Madison County eyes residency of schools candidate


Independent says he's looking for home so he'll meet qualifications

Madison County election officials want the independent candidate for superintendent of education to prove he lives in the county.

"His residency is the question at hand," District 5 Election Commissioner Leroy Lacy said.

The commission, meeting last week, asked its attorney, Spence Flatgard, to write Patrick Henderson and ask him to show proof of Madison County residency no later than June. The commission is charged with determining whether independent candidates meet the qualifications to appear on the ballot.

One of the legal requirements for the post is being a "qualified elector," which means the candidate has to be a registered voter. That requires residing in Madison County for at least 30 days.

The question is whether Henderson is a resident of Madison County and whether he should be registered to vote there, Flatgard said.

Henderson, an assistant principal at Kosciusko High School, filed qualifying papers for the education post Feb. 14 but did not register to vote in Madison County until March 1, the qualifying deadline for candidates.

In his voter registration, he listed his address as Stumpbridge Road in Canton, the same as on his qualifying papers. That address is his father's.