Ex-Alderman Files as Last Minute Write-In Candidate

There is now one contested race in Town and Country.

Town and Country Ex-Alderman John Hoffmann filed as a write-in candidate to run against current Alderman and Board President Tim Welby for the Ward 2 alderman seat.

Hoffmann filed as a write-in candidate Friday, the day of the filing deadline.

"I think it's good for voters to have a choice, which is not often the case here in Town and Country. Everyone runs unopposed. It doesn't get any issues discussed," Hoffmann said. "I honestly do think I'm grossly more qualified. I understand government. I understand budgets."

This is not the first time Hoffmann and Welby have run against each other for a Ward 2 seat.

Welby served as alderman from 2006 to 2008. He lost to Hoffmann in 2008, but ran again in 2009 and won. Welby is now finishing that second term. He tells Patch he lost to Hoffmann in 2008 because people thought it would be a "cakewalk" for him so voter turnout was extremely low.

"Now that I have a write-in opponent, it's important that everybody goes out and votes, because every vote does count," Welby said.

Hoffmann is not new to elections in Town and Country. He served as alderman from 2008 to 2010 and ran for mayor and lost to current Mayor Jon Dalton in 2009. Hoffmann was up for re-election as alderman in 2010. He ran, but lost to current Ward 2 Alderman Al Gerber. He has also served on Town and Country's Public Works and Public Art commissions.

Hoffmann has written an opinion column for Town and Country-Manchester Patch and Chesterfield Patch since those sites launched in the fall. His column is on hiatus through the election and Patch will consider whether to continue it after the results are tallied.

He said giving voters a choice is not the only reason he decided to file last minute, it has a lot to do with recent articles he's written, both for Patch and his own website.

"If I'm going to sit and criticize, write columns, critique people, I ought to have the guts to step up to the plate and take that position," Hoffmann said. 

Welby said he takes any candidate seriously, even a write-in, and that's why he encourages people to get out and vote.

"I don't look  at him any differently than anybody else," Welby said.

As far as a campaign, Hoffmann said he plans to send out a partial mailing to Ward 2 and some emails. He said there's not much he or Welby can do at this point.

"He and I have already knocked on every door in this ward, so everybody knows us," Hoffmann said.

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