AREA COUNTY SHERIFF VOTE TOTALSBledsoe CountyJimmy Morris (R) -- 860Gary Johnson (R) -- 576Grundy CountyLindell Shrum (D) -- 2,382David B. Myers (D) -- 915Deke M. Stone (D) -- 198McMinn CountyJoe Guy (R) -- 4,542Tim Smith (R) -- 2,686Monroe CountyRandy White (R) -- 3,477Charles Parris (R) -- 1,099Polk CountyRocky King (D) -- 1,237Keith Barker (D) -- 1,075Joe Price (D) -- 688Jamie Nicholson (D) -- 153Cumberland CountyCasey D. Cox (R) -- 5,286Terry White (R) -- 2,612Note: All results are unofficial until certified.
There will be a new sheriff in at least one Tennessee town after incumbents in Bledsoe, Grundy and McMinn counties defended their posts in primary races across the Chattanooga region. Grundy's incumbent lost his bid in the primary, and Polk County will have a new sheriff because current sheriff Bill Davis did not seek re-election.
GRUNDY
Brent Myers, first appointed sheriff in Grundy County in 2005 and the victor in county general elections in 2006 and 2010, lost in a three-way Democratic primary battle to Lindell Clint Shrum. Deke M. Stone, the third challenger, was a distant third. There was no Republican to qualify to run, so Shrum will face independent candidate Russell Baker in August.
Election turnout in Grundy County was 47 percent, elections officials said.
McMINN
In the larger of the three incumbent battleground counties, McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy easily overcame a challenge by Tim Smith, the former chief deputy for previous sheriff Steve Frisbie. With no Democrat in the race, Guy is re-elected to his second term.
BLEDSOE
Incumbent two-term sheriff Jimmy Morris defeated to his former chief deputy, Gary Johnson in Bledsoe County's Republican primary. Morris will face Democrat Doug Roberson in August.
Other sheriffs races in the region were contests among challengers for a slot on the August ballot.
POLK
In a four-way race in Polk County's Democratic primary, Rocky King defeated Keith Barker, Donald "Jamey" James Nicholson Jr., and Joe Price for the Democrats' slot in August to face Republican Steve Ross in August.
MONROE
In Monroe County, Republicans Charles S. Parris and Randy White contested for the right to take on incumbent Democrat Bill Bivens in August. White outstripped Parris at the polls to face Bivens in the county general election.
CUMBERLAND
A two-way showdown decided the Republican slot for August in Cumberland County's primary.
Casey D. Cox, a chief investigator for the sheriff's office, defeated Terry Hoss White, a major with the Crossville Police Department. He will face Democrat Dean Farley in August.
Correspondent Paul Leach contributed to this story.
Staff writer Judy Walton contributed to this story.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.