Most Hamilton County commissioners said Wednesday they weren’t sure who they will support today among the 11 candidates vying to fill County Mayor Jim Coppinger’s former District 3 seat.
Commissioners plan to vote this morning at 9:30, and only one of them — Warren Mackey — was willing to put his support firmly behind one candidate.
Mackey said he will support George Patten, who ran unsuccessfully for the District 3 Chattanooga City Council seat in 2009, losing to Pam Ladd. Mackey said Ladd convinced him to support her former opponent.
“I’ve been encouraged by my city councilwoman who knows him much better, and I’ve been influenced by the vote held in that election,” Mackey said.
Ladd said she got to know Patten better on the campaign trail and said he would bring good ideas to the County Commission. She also said the contest was decided by fewer than 60 votes, showing that Patten has strong support in the district.
None of the other commissioners would say whom they would support, or even who their top three candidates are.
“It was a good group of candidates, I believe,” Commissioner Joe Graham said.
Commissioner Tim Boyd said Wednesday he intended to review dozens of e-mails he received in support of different candidates.
“There’s a lot of people e-mailing me, and there’s good candidates,” Boyd said. “District 3 people are very happy with several of them.”
With only eight commissioners voting, there is the possibility of a 4-4 tie, but a candidate needs five votes to win.
The commission has deadlocked several times in recent weeks.
Coppinger, who replaced former Mayor Claude Ramsey, was appointed as mayor after four 4-4 commission deadlocks between him and Mike Carter, special assistant to Ramsey. The tie was broken when Mackey switched his support from Carter to Coppinger.
They split 4-4 again on who should be vice chairman — Commissioner Chester Bankston or Commissioner Jim Fields. The vice chairman slot came open when Commissioner Larry Henry became chairman after Coppinger moved into the mayor’s seat.
They have yet to choose a vice chairman.
Three original Coppinger supporters — Henry, Graham and Commissioner Fred Skillern — have not indicated whom they would support for the District 3 seat.
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