St. Louis County Circuit Court officials announced they had disqualified Stephen H. Ward as a candidate for the position of board member and director for the Metro West Fire Protection District. 

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Metro West just issued a notification that court's officials determined Ward “failed to timely comply with the filing fee requirements. Therefore, being disqualified as a candidate, the court orders that Mr. Ward be removed as a candidate, in the April 2, 2013 election ballot”.

Because the ballots already were printed for the election, Ward’s name will not be physically removed from the ballot. 

The election commission shall post signs in each applicable polling place that the candidate has been “Removed from the Ballot by Court Order”. Any votes that would be cast for Ward will not be counted or reported.

Ward was a former Metro West assistant chief.

Metro West coordinator Michael Thiemann said the action by court officials leaves Tim Flora, the incumbent and current District Board Chairman as the only candidate for the position. Flora will begin his next term in office in April.

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