Party primaries across Southeast Tennessee's rural counties outside of Hamilton and Bradley have hot races on the ballot for county mayor, sheriff, county commission seats and other county offices as early voting got underway last week.
The most widely contested seat is for county mayor, with races in Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Meigs and Polk counties. The post is county executive in Polk's case. Road superintendents drew contested ballots in Bledsoe and Grundy counties, and candidates are opposed in races for county clerk in Grundy, Marion and Polk.
The incumbent sheriffs in Marion and Meigs counties have primary challengers. Non-partisan Sequatchie County has no primaries, so its local elections will be a free-for-all in August. Rundowns on Bradley County primary races were published previously.
Bledsoe
Incumbent Bledsoe County Mayor Gregg Ridley, who also held the post for two terms from 2002 to 2010, is being challenged on the Republican primary ballot by Kendall Smith. The winner will face unopposed Democrat Randy L. Clark in August.
In a three-way race on the GOP primary ballot, Richard Keedy, Bobby B. Roberson and Jody L. Smith are vying for road superintendent, while Democrats Ricky L. Byrd and Robert Reece will battle for the same seat as the only contested race on Bledsoe's Democratic primary ballot.
Republican voters also will choose between Ronald (Ronny) Hudson and Johnny Mack Swafford for Bledsoe's County Commission 3rd District Part B seat.
Franklin
With the decision last year by longtime Franklin County Mayor Richard Stewart, a Democrat, not to run for re- election, the open post drew two hopefuls for the seat, David Alexander and Dave Van Buskirk, in the Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Eddie Clark, who has no primary opposition, in August.
There are two Republicans vying for a slot on the August ballot for the County Commission District 1, Seat B post. The GOP primary race for County Commission District 2, Seat A is between Adam Casey and Lisa D. Mason.
For County Commission District 6, Seat B, Doug Goodman and Derrick Watson will face off for the post that drew no Democrats to challenge the Republican primary winner.
Grundy
Grundy County's Republican Party held a caucus earlier this year to choose candidates for county mayor and county commission districts 1, 2, and 3.
Grundy County Mayor Michael Brady, the incumbent Democrat, will face challenger John Hargis for the post in the county Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican Iva Michelle Russell in August.
Penny Smartt Sons and incumbent Crystal Stiefel will face off for the circuit court clerk seat. There is no Republican candidate, so the primary will decide the seat.
In Grundy's Democratic primary for county clerk, Blake A. Sanders and incumbent Tammy Sholey will have a primary showdown for the elected post since there is no Republican candidate seeking that seat.
Longtime incumbent Road Superintendent Hubert Dewayne "Turkey" Hargis is challenged by Johnny Ray Fults in the Democratic primary. The winner will take the seat, as no Republican is seeking the post.
For county trustee, C. David Lockhart II and Tyler McCullough will battle for the seat that also has no GOP challenger for the August ballot.
Marion
In Marion County's Republican primary, longtime incumbent Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett is challenged by Edward Slatton, while longtime incumbent County Clerk Dwight Minter is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Kimberli Joetta Ramsey.
In the primaries for County Commission 1st District, Seat A, Stephen A. Bullard and Gary Reames will face off for the Republican slot on the August ballot, while Jane W. Dawkins and Phillip Smith will battle for the Democratic slot against the GOP winner this summer.
In the race for County Commission 2nd District, Seat A, Republicans Joey Blevins Jr. and Kevin Fred Hawg Tuders will face off against incumbent Democrat Marshall A. Raines Sr., who has no primary opposition.
Republicans Steve Atterton and Jimmy W. Nunley will battle for the slot on the August ballot for County Commission 5th District, Seat A, to face the winner of the Democratic primary race between Joe Morrison and Donnie Sartin.
McMinn
No Democrats face opposition in the May primary in McMinn County, but there are contested races on the GOP ballot in three districts on the county commission.
Brent Carter, Ricky Powers and Tracey (Tad) Simpson will battle for two open slots on the May Republican primary ballot for County Commission 1st District, while it's a four-way race between Michael Bobich, Bill Crawford, James W. McPhall and Jerry L. Millsaps for two seats in County Commission, 2nd District. The 2nd District winner will face Democrat DiAnn Leman in August, while the winner of the 1st District race will hold the seat.
Republicans David Crews, Scott Curtis and Geoffery Suhmer Smith will vie for two County Commission 5th District seats in a primary race that will decide the seat holders.
Meigs
The Republican primary for Meigs County mayor will be a three-way battle between incumbent Bill James and challengers Jerry W. Beavers and Charles Lynn King in a race that will decide the seat, since no candidates qualified for the Democratic primary.
In County Commission 1st District, Republicans Phillip D. Grubb, Kristy Kelly-Sewell, Dustin Lankford and Dewayne Murphy will vie for the seat that has no challenger among Democrats.
Incumbent Republican Sheriff Jackie Melton will face challenger John Wayne Irwin Jr. to decide the seat not being sought by any Democrats in the primary, and in the GOP primary for county trustee, Helen Ann Aikman will face Stacie Goforth Hyde.
Polk
In the county executive race, Polk County Democrats will pick from Mitchell R. Hicks and Kelley Morgan for the slot on the August ballot against Republican Shawn Pritchett, who is unopposed in the primary.
In the Democratic primary for county clerk, Annie Henderson, Kalin Bishop Morris and Carole Smith Norwood will do battle for the post that has no GOP candidates.
In the Democratic primary for three seats in County Commission District 2, it's a six-man battle among Issac "Buster" Bramblett, Greg Brooks, Mike Curbow, Mark Evans, Arnold Hambright and Blake A. Rymer.
Rhea
Rhea County Republican will choose from Diane "Dicy" Brown, Teresa Hulgan, Adam Hurst and James Nevans for the GOP slot in August that will decide the seat since no Democrats are running. The race is Rhea's only contested race in May.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.
More Info
BLEDSOE COUNTY
Republican Primary
County Mayor
*Vote for one
Gregg Ridley
Kendall Smith
County Commission 3rd District, Part B
*Vote for one
Ronald (Ronny) Hudson
Johnny Mack Swafford
Road Superintendent
*Vote for one
Richard Keedy
Robby B. Roberson
Jody L. Smith
Democratic Primary
Road Superintendent
*Vote for one
Ricky L. Byrd
Robert Reece
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Republican Primary
County Mayor
*Vote for one
David Alexander
Dave Van Buskirk
County Commissioner District 1, Seat B
*Vote for one
Lydia Curtis Johnson
Benjamin Smith
County Commissioner District 2, Seat A
*Vote for one
Adam Casey
Lisa D. Mason
County Commissioner District 6, Seat B
*Vote for one
Doug Goodman
Derrick Watson
Constable District 4
*Vote for one
Charles Keller
Ron Smith
Democratic Primary
Constable District 2
*Vote for one
Ray Conley
Larry W. Hill
GRUNDY COUNTY
Republican caucus candidates are unopposed*
Democratic Primary
County Mayor
*Vote for one
Michael Brady
John Hargis
Circuit Court Clerk
*Vote for one
Penny Smartt Sons
Crystal Stiefel
County Clerk
*Vote for one
Blake A. Sanders
Tammy Sholey
Road Superintendent
*Vote for one
Johnny Ray Fults
Hubert Dewayne “Turkey” Hargis
County Trustee
*Vote for one
C. David Lockhart II
Tyler McCullough
*The Grundy County Republican Party chose to forgo the primary process and picked candidates for County Commission in districts 1, 2 and 3 and for County Mayor through a caucus held in February.
MARION COUNTY
Republican Primary
County Commission 1st District, Seat A
*Vote for one
Stephen A. Bullard
Gary Reames
County Commission 2nd District, Seat A
*Vote for one
Joey Blevins Jr.
Kevin Fred Hawg Tuders
County Commission 5th District, Seat A
*Vote for one
Steve Atterton
Jimmy W. Nunley
Sheriff
*Vote for one
Ronnie “Bo” Burnett
Edward Slatton
Democratic Primary
County Commission 1st District, Seat A
*Vote for one
Jane W. Dawkins
Phillip Smith
County Commission 5th District, Seat A
*Vote for one
Joe Morrison
Donnie Sartin
County Clerk
*Vote for one
Dwight Minter
Kimberli Joetta Ramsey
MCMINN COUNTY
Republican Primary
County Commission 1st District
Vote for two
Brent Carter
Ricky Powers
Tracey “Tad” Simpson
County Commission 2nd District
Vote for two
Michael Bobich
Bill Crawford
James W. McPhall
Jerry L. Millsaps
County Commission 5th District
Vote for two
David Crews
Scott Curtis
Geoffery Suhmer Smith
Constable 3rd District
*Vote for one
Richard G. Raper
Eric L. Rogers
Democratic Primary has no contested races
MEIGS COUNTY
Republican Primary
County Mayor
*Vote for one
Jerry W. Beavers
Bill James
Charles Lynn King
County Commission 1 District
*Vote for two
Phillip D. Grubb
Kristy Kelly-Sewell
Dustin Lankford
Dewayne Murphy
County Trustee
*Vote for one
Helen Ann Aikman
Stacie Goforth Hyde
Sheriff
*Vote for one
John Wayne Irwin Jr.
Jackie Melton
Democratic Primary has no contested races
POLK COUNTY
Republican Primary has no contested races
Democratic Primary
County Executive
*Vote for one
Mitchell R. Hicks
Kelley Morgan
County Clerk
*Vote for one
Annie Henderson
Kalin Bishop Morris
Carole Smith Norwood
County Commission District 2
*Vote for three
Issac “Buster” Bramblett
Greg Brooks
Mike Curbow
Mark Evans
Arnold Hambright
Blake A. Rymer
RHEA COUNTY
Republican Primary
Register of Deeds
*Vote for one
Diane “Dicy” Brown
Teresa Hulgan
Adam Hurst
James Nevans
Democratic Primary has no contested races
Source: County election commissions and the Tennessee Secretary of State
More Info
Key dates
› Early voting period: April 11-26
› Election Day: May 1
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State — Elections
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