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The days of officials holding more than one elected job in Hamilton County are coming to a close.
When qualifying ended for the November election Thursday, Esther Helton’s name was not on the ballot for East Ridge City Council for the first time since 2014. She was elected to the council in 2016 and has served ever since, including time as vice mayor. In 2018, she was elected District 30 state representative and is running for her fourth term in November.
Gene-o Shipley’s name will not appear on a November ballot for the Soddy-Daisy City Commission for the first since 2006. Although he served on the city’s panel before, he was re-elected in 2008 and has served since, including time as mayor. In 2022, he was elected District 1 commissioner on the Hamilton County Commission.
Previously, Chattanooga City Councilman Ken Smith has said he would not run for a fourth term in the 2025 city election. He was originally appointed as District 3 Hamilton County commissioner in May 2022, filling the seat relinquished by Greg Martin, who had been appointed to the state legislature. Martin, whose name already was on the August ballot for commissioner, won that race and served in both positions before stepping down as commissioner in January 2023. Smith again was appointed to the position on an interim basis and won election earlier this month to fill out the rest of Martin’s term, which ends in 2026.