Photo

Vancouver mayoral candidate Steven Cox announced today he has withdrawn from the race.

This move effectively leaves Vancouver City Councilor Anne McEnerny-Ogle as the only candidate for mayor. Cox will, however, remain on the ballot, said Cathie Garber, Clark County elections supervisor. The last day to withdraw was May 22. If Cox wins the seat anyway and chooses not to accept, the council would fill the position in January.

Cox’s announcement Tuesday came after an appearance before the Vancouver City Council on Monday evening during which he claimed that Councilor Jack Burkman had violated his First Amendment rights during a Vancouver Neighborhood Alliance meeting Sept. 19.

Cox alleged Burkman — who was not at the meeting — told him to “back off” when Cox was criticizing the city’s Tower Mall project.

“I falsely accused an innocent man of wrongdoing,” Cox wrote in an open letter he shared with The Columbian. “Jack Burkman is an upstanding citizen and credit to his community, and I sincerely apologize for mistakenly using his name. The shame is mine and not his.”