Jailed mayoral candidate gets less than 13 percent of votes

HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) — A mayoral candidate who’s been jailed since being charged with gun crimes has lost the election in the south-central Nebraska city of Holdrege.

Thirty-year-old Joseph Melton is charged with illegally possessing a gun silencer that lacked a serial number and possessing another silencer that wasn’t registered. He’s denied both charges.

Phelps County election records say Melton garnered less than 13 percent of the votes Tuesday, losing to first-term incumbent Doug Young. Melton had remained on the ballot after being taken into custody.

Melton had said he thought that if he weren’t sitting in jail , he would have had a chance to beat Young. Melton has been a frequent and vocal critic of Young and the Holdrege City Council.