Local contested races in counties across the Southeast Tennessee region saw new leaders elected, some upsets and mostly approved referendums on wine and spirits.
Mayors were elected in Copperhill, Jasper, Monteagle and South Pittsburg, as well as to some county and city commissioner and alderman posts in those towns' home counties. Wine-in-stores votes in Dayton, Jasper and Kimball passed. Two referenda - on-premises alcohol sales and consumption, and packages stores - netted the majority of votes in Polk County, but Tracy City voters in Grundy County said no to on-premises consumption of alcohol there.
Provisional ballots are still being counted and results are unofficial until county election commissions certify them, so some results could change, officials said. The last day for commissions to certify elections is Nov. 28.
MAYORS, COMMISSIONERS, ALDERMEN
Jasper, Monteagle and South Pittsburg voters saw incumbent mayors fall to challengers in tight races on Tuesday.
In Jasper, former mayor Billy Simpson lost his bid to regain the post from incumbent Paul Wayne Evans, who nearly doubled Simpson's tally. Josh Jennings and incumbent Paul West beat out Jason Turner for two open Jasper alderman seats.
In Monteagle, incumbent mayor Marilyn Campbell-Rodman lost to David Sampley by just 15 votes, while former alderman and vice mayor Alexander "Lex" Orr finished a distant third. For two open alderman seats, Monteagle voters picked Jessica D. Blalock and incumbent Alvin Powell Jr.
In South Pittsburg, incumbent mayor Jane W. Dawkins was defeated by newcomer Virgil Holder by more than 100 votes. In the race for South Pittsburg City Commission District 1 Jimmy Paul Haley Jr. defeated incumbent Jimmy Wigfall. In the City Commission District 2 race, Samantha B. Rector beat out Ray Powers for the post.
In Whitwell, Sandra Powell Crabtree, Jimmy W. Nunley and Terry "Fuzz"Parker garnered the most votes in a nine-way battle for three open City Commission seats.
In Copperhill, incumbent Kathy A. Stewart defeated challengers Billy Brackett and Jerry Gilliam for the mayor's post. On the other side of Polk County, voters picked incumbent Joe Jenkins and Gary McDonald over incumbent Gene Pack for two open Benton City Commission seats.
In the Athens City Council race in McMinn County, incumbent Chuck Burris and John Coker took two open seats in a five-way showdown with Whitney Kimball Coe, Jordan Curtis and Tim Hughes.
And in Graysville, incumbent mayor Ted Doss defeated challenger Robbie Davenport while a new panel - Robert "Bobby" Baldwin, Jimmy Lee Massengill, Ron Scott and David Sulcer - outpaced incumbents Andy Beene, Michael May and DeNesa Reel for four open City Commission seats.
COUNTY COMMISSION, SCHOOL BOARD
In Bledsoe County, voters chose Jacob Frady by a large margin in a four-way race for the unexpired county school board District 1, Part B, post. Frady beat out challengers Kay Cooke, Robbie Taylor and Jamie Wyatt.
In Franklin County, Republican Sam Hiles outdistanced Democrat foe Dale Amacher by more than 300 votes.
In Marion County, independent Ken "Penny" Skiles beat Democrat Ralph Pickett for the unexpired District 5, Part B, seat on the County Commission.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.
Results
Results in most cases do not include provisional ballots and are unofficial until they are certified by the respective county election commissions. The last day to certify elections is Nov. 28.Winners are in bold.Bledsoe CountySchool Board, 1st District, Part B (unexpired independent seat)Vote for oneKay Cooke 81Jacob Frady 329Robbie Taylor 176Jamie Wyatt 59Franklin CountyCounty Commission, District 8, Seat B Vote for one(unexpired seat) RepublicanSam Hiles 1078DemocratDale Amacher 744Grundy CountyReferendumsTracy CitySale of alcohol for on-premises consumptionYes 238No 245Marion CountyCounty Commission, 5th District, Seat B;Vote for one (unexpired seat)Democrat Ralph Pickett 865Independent Ken (Penny) Skiles 1003Jasper MayorVote for one (independent seat)Paul Wayne Evans 1004Billy Simpson 518Jasper AldermanVote for two (independent seats)Josh Jennings 915Jason Turner 689Paul West 800JasperReferendumWine sales in retail food storesYes 1150No 366Kimball ReferendumWine sales in retail food storesYes 436No 146Monteagle Mayor (includes votes from Franklin, Grundy, Marion)Vote for one (independent seat)Marilyn Campbell- Rodman 225Alexander “Lex” Orr 78David Sampley 240MonteagleAlderman (includes votes from Franklin, Grundy, Marion)Vote for two (independent seats)Jessica D. Blalock 381Kenneth Wayne Gipson 118Harry Parmley 172Alvin Powell Jr. 175South Pittsburg MayorVote for one (independent seat)Jane W. Dawkins 346Virgil Holder 494Bill Stuart 282South Pittsburg City Commission, 1st DistrictVote for one(Independent seat)Jimmy Paul Haley Jr. 190Jimmy Wigfall 173South Pittsburg City Commission, 2nd DistrictVote for one (independent seat)Ray Powers 125Samantha B. Rector 185Whitwell City CommissionVote for three (independent seats)Steve Atterton 120Herman Wade Brown 97Polly Copeland 88Sandra Powell Crabtree 223Mike Dillon 108Marilyn Tate Frazier 117Chris L. Morrison 171Jimmy W. Nunley 262Terry (Fuzz) Parker 259McMinn CountyAthens City Council Vote for two(independent seats)Chuck Burris 2344Whitney Kimball Coe 1592John Coker 1973Jordan Curtis 931Tim Hughes 1200Polk CountyReferendum (county-wide)Sale of alcohol for on-premises consumptionYes 3780No 3032Retail package storesYes 3949No 2863Benton City CommissionVote for two(independent seats)Joe Jenkins 416Gary McDonald 358Gene Pack 269Copperhill MayorVote for one(independent seat)Billy Brackett 51Jerry Gilliam 23Kathy A. Stewart 92Rhea CountyReferendumDaytonWine sales at retail food storesYes 1538No 517Graysville MayorVote for one (independent seat)Robbie Davenport 120Ted Doss 269Graysville CommissionVote for four (independent seats)Robert (Bobby) Baldwin 175Andy Beene 154Jimmy Lee Massengill 248Michael May 142DeNesa Reel 130Ron Scott 255David Sulcer 224Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, local election commissions
