Candidates for School Board, City, and State Races May Obtain Petitions Starting January 8

While the first election of 2016 is the local Democratic Primary and Presidential Primary, potential candidates for August can soon pick up qualifying petitions
Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections, says candidates for local school board, city and state representative races can obtain qualifying petitions beginning January 8. Those petitions must be returned by Noon April 7
The DeKalb County General and Tennessee State primaries are set for August 4.
Offices to be elected locally in August along with assessor of property and constable are school board seats for districts 4, 5, and 6. W.J. (Dub) Evins, III currently serves in District 5, Doug Stephens in District 6 and Kate Miller is filling her husband’s unexpired term in District 4.
On the state level, offices up for grabs are State Representatives in Districts 40 and 46 (currently held by Terri Lynn Weaver and Mark Pody, respectively) and 6th District Congressman, currently held by Diane Black.
Also on the ballot in August are three municipal elections—Dowelltown, Liberty and Smithville.
In Smithville, voters will elect three aldermen. The incumbents up for re-election are Shawn Jacobs, Josh Miller, and Danny Washer.
A mayor and two aldermen will be elected in Dowelltown. The positions are currently held by Mayor Gerald Bailiff and Aldermen Joe Bogle and Kevin Kent.
Liberty voters will choose four aldermen. Three of them to serve four years and the fourth to fill the remaining one year of an unexpired term. The three positions up for election to new four year terms are now held by Jason Ray, Paul Neal, and Todd Dodd. The person elected to the fourth seat will serve the last year of an unexpired term. J.D. Bratten currently holds that position.
To close out the year, the Presidential and Tennessee General elections will be held on November 8.