AUBURN – Four residents have signaled their plans to run for an open Ward 4 seat on the City Council, but only one has made it official.

City Clerk Mary Lou Magno said John E. Morin of 60 Danbury Drive turned in his nomination petition Monday qualifying him for a spot on a special Jan. 13 ballot to replace Councilor Bruce Bickford.

Three others have started circulating nomination petitions to join Morin on the ballot. They are Brian S. Carrier of 32 Constellation Drive, Kenneth J. Bellefleur of 100 Royal River Road and David C. Young of 1167 Old Danville Road.

They have until 4:30 p.m. Dec. 11 to return the petitions to the City Clerk’s office with signatures from 25 registered Ward 4 voters, Magno said

Magno said there’s still plenty of time for other candidates to step forward.

“They can take it out the day that they are due,” Magno said. “All they need is time to gather 25 signatures.”

Bickford won election to House District 70 last month. Auburn’s charter, adopted by voters in 2005, doesn’t let councilors hold any other elected public office during their council term. Bickford tendered his resignation the following Monday and he’s scheduled to be sworn in as a state representative on Wednesday.

Bickford was elected to the City Council in 2006, replacing Donna Lyons Rowell. His successor will serve the remaining nine months in his term and will be up for election again in November 2009, along with the rest of the City Council and Mayor John Jenkins.