Because Sequatchie County doesn’t hold primary elections, voters will choose from a long list of local candidates for office on Aug. 5.
Sequatchie’s elected offices are nonpartisan, meaning no county primaries in May to winnow down the August ballot.
Though school board races across the state are nonpartisan, most Tennessee counties had Republican and Democratic party primaries in May to choose candidates for county commission, sheriff, county mayor and other elected offices.
Records show 52 Tennessee counties had May primaries this year, though 21 of them held a primary for only one party.
Sequatchie’s August ballot will include 27 names of candidates for eight contested local offices, including county executive, county commission and sheriff. The ballot will also include party primaries for state and federal posts.
Sequatchie Elections Administrator Linda Pittman Tate said most people in the county don’t even know local candidates’ party affiliations, but she said the lack of local primaries keeps election costs down for the small rural county.
The 2008 presidential primary cost $13,643 and 2,623 people voted, she said. The only local primary Sequatchie has held in recent memory, she said, was the May 5, 1998, primary “when we had a Democratic primary for judicial candidates.”
“Six offices ran and there were eight candidates — 496 people voted,” she said. “That’s a lot of money for low turnout.”
A drawback to not having primaries is that someone can be elected by less than a majority vote on a crowded ballot, and Sequatchie has no provision for runoffs, she said.
State Republican and Democratic party officials said they’d rather see party primaries in Sequatchie and other nonpartisan counties.
“We believe strongly the best way to give voters an informed choice is through a primary system,” Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney said.
“While there may be good intentions behind nonpartisan races, the consequence is voters are choosing between candidates whose policy positions may not be extremely clear because of the nonpartisan aspect of the election,” he said.
Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester said holding party primaries gets more people involved in the process.”
KEY DATESTuesday: Last day for new voter registrationsJuly 16-31: Early votingAug. 5: County general, state primary electionOct. 4: Last day for new voter registrationsOct. 13-28: Early votingNov. 2: State and federal general electionSource: Tennessee Division of Elections
On the other hand, he said, “we also understand citizens who live and work there should determine how they conduct their local elections.”
Robin Roberts, manager of field services for the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service, said he doesn’t know how many other counties don’t hold primaries. But he said he’s heard anecdotally of some counties with as many as eight candidates for county mayor.
Whatever the arrangement, the idea of any election strategy is to get people to vote, he said.
Mrs. Tate expects the hefty local ballot and an interesting state ballot, including a governor’s race, will produce a good turnout.
“That will create a lot of interest, especially since there’s no incumbent running for governor,” she said.
About half of Sequatchie’s voters cast their ballots early, Mrs. Tate said.
“That’s always handy because you never know what will come up on Election Day,” she said.
SEQUATCHIE BALLOT
County Executive
D. Keith Cartwright
Michael Hudson
Jeffrey S. Mackey
County Commission
District 1
David Earl Bishop
Richard E. Harvey
Barnett “Barney” D. Slatton
Barry J. Smith
Gary L. Williams
District 2
Brian Farley
Chuck Priputin
Don E. Walker
District 3
Marsha Hamblen Carr
Claude C. Lewis
John Ross Lusk
District 5
Charles Austin Easterly
Denise J. Kell
Paul D. Powell
District 6
Jeff Barger
David L. Cartwright
Jerry G. Layne
Rodney W. Smith
Sheriff
Ronnie Hitchcock
Thomas Mahoney
Randy Phillips
Constable
District 2
A.L. Bice
Craig C. Camp
James D. Hixson II