CHESAPEAKE — A petition to recall Chesapeake’s mayor has been ruled invalid by the Lawrence County Prosecutor.

Terry Griffith, of Chesapeake, a former council member, mayoral candidate and recorder, had turned in signatures to the county board of elections, hoping to place a recall of Kim Oldaker on the ballot.

According to Cathy Snyder, director of the board of elections, they sought the opinion of the prosecutor’s office, which they received on Thursday.

The prosecutor found the petition invalid, as Chesapeake is not a charter municipality and did not have the protocols in place for a recall.

Snyder said Griffin should have sought legal counsel before proceeding.

“He could have saved himself a lot of trouble,” she said.

The board of elections hosted a special meeting on Thursday to accept the prosecutor’s opinion.

Oldaker was elected in 2019 and is serving her first term as mayor.