DOVER – James Dodd can run for mayor.

A state superior court judge on Wednesday approved Dodd’s nominating petition overturning the ruling of the acting town clerk who said Dodd was not a town resident.

Judge Stuart Minkowitz ruled that the evidence that Dodd lived elsewhere was not persuasive.

At a hearing on Tuesday, it was alleged that Dodd truly lived in Fredon, Sussex County.

In general, residency rules are liberally construed and that seemed to be the case here.

At the Tuesday hearing, Minkowitz tipped his hand by noting it’s not uncommon for people to have more than one home. No problem – as long as they vote only once.

Dodd said he lives in an apartment on West Clinton Street.

The ruling also approved the petitions of two of Dodd’s board of aldermen running-mates. They also had been challenged.

The spotlight, however, will be on the mayor’s race.

There will now be four candidates in the June 6 Democratic primary.

Besides Dodd, they will be current mayor Carolyn  Blackman, Sandra Wittner and Edward Correa.

It was Blackman who narrowly beat Dodd – then running as an independent- four years ago.