Athens now has five mayoral candidates in the upcoming primary election.
According to a notice from the Athens-Clarke County government, released Monday afternoon, Bennie Lee Coleman has officially withdrawn from the race.
Any votes cast for Coleman, whose name remains on the ballot, will not be counted. His departure leaves five candidates vying for the position of Mayor for Athens-Clarke County. They are Incumbent Mayor Kelly Girtz, Mara Zuniga, Pearl Hall, Fred Moorman, and MyKeisha Ross.