Republican Greg Martin leads independent Joe Smith in early votes in a special commission seat race for Hamilton County District 3, which encompasses Hixson, Lakesite, Middle Valley and Big Ridge.
So far, Martin has received 5,503 votes to Smith’s 3,489.
Whoever wins will serve the last two years of a term won by Marty Haynes in 2014. Haynes vacated the seat in September to take on his newly elected role as the county’s assessor of property.
If Martin takes the county commission seat, he will vacate his own school board seat, leaving the post open to appointment by the county commission.
Smith, the long-time regional director of a YMCA adolescent intervention program, received endorsements from three former Republican leaders, including including former county mayor and deputy governor Claude Ramsey; Martin cited endorsements from current leaders from within the district, including Haynes.