Republican alder candidate Kyle Ross failed to submit the petition signatures necessary to appear on the ballot for an upcoming special election for Ward 7 alder, leaving him to run as a write-in against Democratic candidate Christine Kim. Ross, a financial advisor and Republican Party ward co-chair who lives on Clark Street, is running to fill a Downtown/East Rock alder seat left vacant when incumbent Democrat Eli Sabin resigned on inauguration day. Ross is running against Kim, the Democratic Party ward co-chair, in a special election to be held on Feb. 17. The City Clerk’s office confirmed Wednesday that Ross’s name will not appear on the special election ballot because he didn’t submit the necessary petition signatures. Ross has filed with the Office of the Secretary of State to run as a write-in candidate, instead.