Judge will rule Monday on Chattanooga domestic partners benefits ballot dispute

Chattanooga City Hall

A judge will decide Monday whether to issue a temporary restraining order allowing Chattanooga to trump the Hamilton County Election Commission in the wording of ballot referendum on the city’s domestic partner ordinance.

But Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge W. Neil Thomas III said he’ll do it first thing, so the loser has time to file an emergency petition with an appeals court before the noon deadline to start printing ballots for the Aug. 7 election.

Thomas heard an hour and a half of arguments Thursday afternoon from four parties — Chattanooga police Lt. Corliss Cooper and the city vs. the Hamilton County Election Commission and the Citizens for Government Accountability and Transparency.

The argument is over who gets to write a question on the Aug. 7 ballot asking Chattanooga voters whether the city should provide benefits to domestic partners of city employees.

Cooper and the city argued that the City Charter allows the city attorney to write a summary of the ordinance on the ballot so voters know more about what they’re voting on.