GALLIPOLIS - A petition filed by a candidate for Guyan Township fiscal officer in the Nov. 6 election was disqualified by the Gallia County Board of Elections when it met Thursday.

Christina Higley's petition was dropped due to lack of valid signatures, Elections Director Jeff Halley said.

The action was taken by the board when it certified petitions for office filed by the Aug. 23 deadline for this fall's vote. The other candidate for Guyan fiscal officer is Bill R. Stitt.

The board announced that two write-in candidates will appear on the ballot in their respective precincts. Scott Howell is running for Springfield Township trustee and Cheryl Woodward is seeking the Green Township fiscal officer post.

Howell is currently one of Springfield's three trustees and is running against Holzer Gregory for the open seat this fall. Woodward joins Mary A. Holley and Lana J. Lane in the race for fiscal officer in Green.

Ballot issues that were certified include a referendum for Gallipolis voters to keep or repeal an ordinance establishing rental unit registration; renewal of a 1-mill fire protection levy in Springfield Township; a 2-mill replacement levy for fire protection in the District 2 Joint Fire District; a three-tenths of a mill replacement levy for fire protection in Raccoon Township; and a 1-mill replacement levy for fire protection in Harrison Township.

Halley also announced the first petition for local office in the 2008 primary was filed this week by Shirley Angel, a Republican seeking the Jan. 3 term as county commissioner. Angel previously served two terms as commissioner from 1997 until 2005.

A number of petitions for next year's primary have been taken out, Halley said. On the ballot are two commissioners' seats, sheriff, common pleas judge, probate-juvenile judge, clerk of courts, recorder, treasurer and engineer.

The filing deadline for the March 2008 primary is Jan. 4.