The Hamilton County Education Association is holding an election for officers, and voting closes Friday.
The incumbent president, Jeanette Omarkhail, has served in that role for the past five years. She is being challenged by Jaime Kerns, a union board member.
Approximately one-third of eligible Hamilton County Schools employees are union members. Omarkhail said elections occur every two years and only members may cast votes. The process is done through paper ballot only.
Omarkhail has more than 30 years of education experience and also serves on the Tennesee Education Association's board of directors.
"I was vice president five or six years ago, and Dan Liner, our previous president, retired early," Omarkhail said in a phone call.
During the past year, Omarkhail has led ongoing efforts to re-establish a contract between the union and Hamilton County Schools after being without one for a year.
"The goal of the association is always to support and promote teachers," Omarkhail said. "It's not about me as the president. It's about the members, the teachers." 
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Jeanette Omarkhail, Hamilton County Education Association President, speaks to the school board on Sept 15.
In addition to strengthening teacher protections under a new contract, Omarkhail said if re-elected, she hopes to continue advocating for teachers of color.
Last year, Omarkhail, in coordination with the district, applied for a $750,000 grant through the National Education Association to create an early career educator retention program designed to support early career educators, particularly educators of color.
"I want to make sure that we complete it with fidelity," Omarkhail said. "We will be partnering and supporting the work of early career educators and educators of color to retain them and support them within our district by having mentors of color to work with them."
Kerns, Omarkhail's opponent, said it's time for changes within the union.
"What I saw was a disconnect between what we were doing on the board and then what people knew (about us) in the community or even other teachers," Kerns said in a video interview.
Contributed Photo / Jaime Kerns is running against incumbent Jeanette Omarkhail for president of the Hamilton County Education Association.Kerns has worked for Hamilton County Schools since 2003 in various positions. She is a Spanish teacher at Lookout Valley Middle/High School.
If elected, she said she will push for greater transparency and teacher advocacy.
"I believe that working as a whole collective, we can do more and be more," Kerns said, adding that she believes the union needs a stronger presence locally and at the state level.
Teachers don't feel like they're being heard, Kerns said.
"I am firmly aware and keenly aware, as a board member, I take culpability along with my fellow board members for not pushing to have more transparency to push to have some processes in place to make sure everyone was actively engaged," Kerns said. "And that's something that I really am passionate about, is creating a stronger community where we all lift each other up."
The winner of the election will begin a two-year term starting July 1.
Contact Carmen Nesbitt at cnesbitt@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327.