Early voting begins next Friday, July 16th for the DeKalb County General Election, Tennessee Democratic and Republican Primaries, and the Dowelltown City Election. Election day is Thursday, August 5th.
Early voting will be held Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on the first floor of the courthouse.
Dennis Stanley, DeKalb County Administrator of Elections, explains that voters may vote for republicans, democrats, or independents in the DeKalb County General Election, but they must declare which state primary in which they plan to vote, Democratic or Republican. Voters cannot vote in both state primaries.” Voters will have options when they go to the polls, either early or on election day, for the August elections. Voters may vote only in the county general election or they may vote in the county general plus one of the two state primary elections.”
“Voters often get confused during the August balloting but the election workers will be trained to assist voters and answer their questions,” said Stanley
“A voter may wish to vote for a democrat in one local office and a republican in another local office and that is permissible in a general election,” Stanley continued. “But when it comes to the state primaries, a voter must choose either republican or democrat if they wish to vote for offices such as Governor, Congressman, State Senate, and State Representative”
Voters who reside in the corporate limits of Dowelltown and are properly registered, as well as those who own property inside the Dowelltown city limits and are properly registered, may also vote in the Dowelltown municipal election. Three alderman seats are up for election and all three candidates are incumbents and are unopposed.”
“In simple terms, voting in the County General or the Dowelltown Municipal Election has no bearing on the state primaries,” Stanley explained.
“If a voter wishes to vote for a state office on the ballot, they simply must choose to vote in the Republican or Democratic Primary.”
The DeKalb County General Election features only one county-wide contested race, two contested district county commission races, and three contested district races for the school board.
Incumbent Republican Road Supervisor Kenny Edge will face Democratic challenger James D. Sprague.
The contested county commission races are in the fifth and seventh districts.
Candidates in the fifth district are Republican Jerry Adcock, Democratic incumbent John Green, Democrat Bobby Taylor, and Independent candidate Lloyd Emmons. Two will be elected.
In the seventh district, the candidates are Democratic candidate Jimmy Poss, Democratic incumbent Larry Summers, and Independent candidate Richard Kinsey. Two will be elected.
The second, third, and fourth district school board races are also contested.
In the second district, Incumbent Charles L. Robinson faces a challenge from Jerry W. Johnson. Johnathan Willoughby will try to unseat Incumbent Kenny Rhody in the third district while in the fourth district, the candidates are Billy S. Miller and Larry Redmon.
School board candidates do not run as Republicans or Democrats, but as Independents.
Meanwhile, the following candidates on the DeKalb County General Election ballot are unopposed:
Circuit Court Judge Part 1: Amy V. Hollars.
District Attorney General: Randall A. York
County Mayor: Mike Foster
Trustee: Sean Driver
Sheriff: Patrick Ray
Circuit Court Clerk: Katherine Pack
County Clerk: Mike Clayborn
Register of Deeds: Jeff McMillen
County Commission (1st district):
Mason Carter
Elmer Ellis, Jr.
County Commission (2nd district)
Bobby Joines
Jack E, Barton, III
County Commission (3rd district)
Bradley Hendrix
Jerry Scott
County Commission (4th district)
Wayne Cantrell
David McDowell
County Commission (6th district)
Jeff Barnes
Marshall Ferrell
School Board Member (1st district)
John D. Foutch
School Board Member (7th district)
Johnny Lattimore
The general election ballot also includes two Judicial Retention Questions, asking whether Sharon Gail Lee shall be retained or replaced in the office as a Judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court; and whether John W. McClarty shall be retained or replaced in the office as a Judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Eastern Division.
Meanwhile, the three incumbent aldermen in the City of Dowelltown will be unopposed for re-election, Bradley Driver, Keith Farler, and Ronald Griffith.
Candidates for Governor in the Tennessee Republican Primary include Bill Haslam, Joe Kirkpatrick, Basil Marceaux, Sr., Ron Ramsey, and Zach Wamp.
Republican candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 6th Congressional District are Diane Black, Dave Evans, Gary Dewitt Mann, Bruce McLellan, Kerry E. Roberts, Jim Tracy, and Lou Ann Zelnik
Republican candidates for the Tennessee Senate in the 17th District are Incumbent Mae Beavers and challengers Gordon Borck, and Susan M. Lynn
Republican candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 40th District is Incumbent Terry Lynn Weaver.
Republican State Executive Committeeman 17th district candidates are C. Brent Baldwin, Albert B. McCall, Sr. and Bob Ousley. One can be nominated.
Republican State Executive Committeewoman 17th district, Susan C. Witcher.
Meanwhile Mike McWherter is the only candidate for Governor in the Tennessee Democratic Primary.
Democratic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 6th Congressional District are Henry Clay Barry, Devora E. Butler, Brett Carter, George T. Erdel, and Ben Leming
Democratic candidates for the Tennessee Senate in the 17th District are Aubrey T. Givens, Sam Hatcher, and George McDonald
Democratic candidates for the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 40th District are James C. Hale and Jamie Winkler.
David R. Harper is the only Democratic candidate for State Executive Committeeman in the 17th District.
Two Democratic candidates, Mary A. Patterson and Baylor Bone Swindell are seeking the position of State Executive Committeewoman in the 17th District.
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