Diamondhead sets special election for Alan Moran’s council seat. What to know.
A special election in Diamondhead is set for May 10 to fill the Ward 2 council seat vacated by Alan Moran amid allegations that he sexually assaulted a teen.
Moran, who was elected serve a second term in 2017, resigned on March 23.
The deadline to qualify for the seat is April 20.
Each candidate must qualify by a petition filed with the city clerk’s office. Each petition must include the signatures of 50 qualified supporters.
In the event of a runoff election, it will be held on May 23.
Though Moran officially resigned on March 23, he had stopped attending council meetings after his Feb. 14 arrest on misdemeanor charges of simple assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
He has since been arrested on a felony charge of touching a child for lustful purposes while he was in a position of trust or authority over the minor. In addition, he is facing a second charge of misdemeanor contributing to a minor.
In the criminal case, Moran is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old teen working for Moran at the time at Philip’s Pest Control Co., LLC. Moran’s father, state Sen. Philip Moran, owns the pest control company.
Hancock County sheriff’s deputies investigated the case.
