While speculation swirls around whom the County Commission will pick to replace Claude Ramsey as Hamilton County mayor, the selection process will be governed by state law and shaped by commissioners.
Some commissioners on Friday were already declaring their interest in the county's top elected job, but anyone can apply who is at least 25, qualified to vote, and has lived in the county for at least one year, according to the University of Tennessee's County Technical Assistance Service.
Commission Chairman Fred Skillern said it is his hope to fill the vacancy before Ramsey resigns Jan. 11.
Skillern would become interim mayor in the event of an immediate vacancy, but he was adamant that he had no interest in the job full time.
"I want to have somebody in place either before he resigns or the day he resigns," Skillern said.
Gary Hayes, a CTAS county government consultant, said the new mayor cannot serve until Ramsey leaves office.
"Once the legislative body meets and accepts the resignation, they have the authority to go ahead and to go through the process," Hayes said.
That process includes advertising the position in the newspaper for at least seven days before the meeting where commissioners will vote on the replacement, according to CTAS.
Registered voters in the county may submit names to the commission for consideration, either in writing or at the meeting. But only commissioners can nominate candidates.
Skillern said the commission would not publicly interview candidates, though Hayes said that is one option. At least two commissioners -- Jim Coppinger and Larry Henry -- say they are interested in the job.
Before Ramsey announced his resignation Friday, he met privately with commissioners at 8:30 a.m. The media was not allowed to attend the meeting.
Ramsey said he would have no role in picking his successor.
Other names floating around are County Trustee Bill Hullander; soon to be former 3rd Congressional District Rep. Zach Wamp; Mike Carter, special assistant to the county mayor; and Republican state Sen. Bo Watson.
Wamp did not return calls seeking comment. Hullander said he's comfortable in his new job as trustee.
Carter said he spent the morning approaching commissioners and telling them about his interest in the job.
Hayes said the new mayor will serve until 2012, when state and national elections will be held. He or she then can run for another two-year term and serve until the county election in 2014.
Richard Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, said the Republican-dominated commission can be expected to appoint another Republican.
"I think if we run into problems, it will take time for the new man to establish himself," Wilson said. "He has very large shoes to fill."
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