The Democrat running to represent the city of Rochester and nearby towns in the state Senate has ended his campaign.
Cecil Ables says he failed to meet mandatory residency requirements for candidates for state Senate.
The New Hampshire Constitution states that candidates must be 30 years old and have lived in the state for at least seven years in order to run for state Senate.
Ables, who owns and operates a BBQ restaurant in Rochester, said in a social media video over the weekend that he's now concluded that the nine months he lived in Maine during the pandemic disqualifies him from running.
"I signed a filing saying that I met the requirements, and I should have checked first," Ables said in the video. "The moment I realized this requirement exists, I raised my and sought legal advice. The requirement is the law, and I respect it."
Ables, who was challenging Republican Sen. Jim Gray, will remain on the ballot. But he says if elected he will not serve.
