LITTLE ROCK — Dr. Lee C. Nayles, who filed in July as a candidate for the Little Rock School Board's Zone 1 seat, said Wednesday that a family matter has caused him to end his candidacy for the board position now held by incumbent and candidate for re-election Katherine Mitchell.
However, Pulaski County Elections Director Susan Inman said Wednesday that it is too late for Nayles to withdraw from the race.
Ballots bearing his name have been printed and absentee ballots have been distributed, Inman said. Any votes cast for him in absentee voting, or in early voting that begins next week orat the regular Sept. 16 election will be counted.
"If he gets the most votes, he wins," Inman said. "If he decides he doesn't want to [serve on the board], it will be declared a vacancy."
In the case of a board vacancy, the remaining six members of the seven-member Little Rock board would appoint aperson from Zone 1 to serve on the board until the next regular School Board election, which would be in September 2009.
Told of Inman's statements, Nayles said, nevertheless he is withdrawing, that he has told his supporters he is withdrawing and that he does not want his candidacy "promoted" in the newspaper.
"I don't want anything in the paper saying I'm running for office," he added.
Nayles said family matters would preclude him from having sufficient time to devote to the serious issues that are before the School Board if he were to pursue the board seat and win.
He is planning to move his 98-year-old mother to Little Rock so that he and his family can better assist in her care. That, coupled with the fact that Nayles and his wife have an infant daughter, would cause him to miss School Board meetings and, as a result, shortchange the students of the school district, he said.
"My platform is about trying to get things done for the children and refocus our attention back to the kids, but I wouldn't be able to be at all the meetings to do that."
"I'm disappointed," he added. "My supporters are disappointed. We were headed for a 'W,'" he said, referring to winning the race.
Nayles is a family practice physician with an office on Capitol Avenue. He previously served on the School Board in the Camden-Fairview School District.
The Zone 1 seat on the School Board represents much of eastLittle Rock.
Mitchell, who has been on the School Board since 1988, is a retired college educator.
Little Rock School Board terms are for three years. They are unpaid positions.
Arkansas, Pages 9, 11 on 09/04/2008