Race Hinges on a Vote
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Low turnout as voters look to November Election
By Shane Gilreath
While Tennesseans participated in the Presidential Primary on Super Tuesday in May, voters from across the state went to polls on Thursday, to choose the remainder of the ballot for November’s General Election. Local, state, and federal races were in contention, including tightly contested races in Scott County.
Local voters left the Election Commission with a nail-biter, when a single vote separated Diane Chambers Smith from incumbent Carlene Terry in the 2nd District School Board race, a margin of 219-218.
Fred Marcum, Chairman of the County Commission, told Scott County News that he hopes voters see the tight race as evidence that every vote counts. “I hear all the time that ‘my vote makes no difference,’” he said. “Obviously, it does,” Marcum asserted, hoping to overcome apathy among Tennessee voters. “I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, but vote!”
Smith, a retired teacher, entered Thursday having built a 15-vote lead following two weeks of early voting. Terry narrowed the gap throughout Thursday with in person voters, leaving the candidates tied as polls closed in the early evening.
In a rare occurrence, the race was ultimately decided by a single provisional ballot, an outcome that Marcum admitted to never having seen.
While such close races have been rare, provisional ballots are not. A Provisional ballot comes into play when there are questions about a voter’s eligibility that must later be verified. According to the Tennessee Secretary of State, who oversees state elections, Tennessee allows voters who claim to be registered, but are not on voter rosters, or cannot verify their identity, to cast a provisional ballot for later verification. That provisional ballot is eligible for certification only if the voter has correctly cast a ballot in their proper voting precinct and the ballot is authenticated by the voter within 4 days of the election. In this particular case, the provisional ballot was verified for certification on Friday morning.
When Smith takes office on September 1st, she will not be the only new face on the school board. Chris Shelton also won in the District 3. They will be joined by long serving members Tommy Silcox in the 1st District and Kimberly Kidd in the District 4, as well as Angela King in the 5th District and Dr. Tressa Murphy in District 7. Llew Stanley, beginning his third term, was re-elected in the 6th District without opposition.
Tennessee’s Senior United States Senator, Republican Marsha Blackburn, easily won her primary over challenger Tres Wittum. Blackburn, who has been a champion of President Donald Trump and who spoke at last month’s Republican National Convention, won 91.41% of Scott County and 92.5% of the vote across the state, a margin that allowed the Associated Press to call the race just 8 minutes after polls closed.
“It is an honor to represent the Volunteer State in the U.S. Senate,’ Blackburn said in a video statement, going on to thank voters for their overwhelming support. “I will continue to champion conservative, America First policies by working to lower taxes, secure the border, support our veterans, hold Big Tech accountable, and ensure our adversaries fear us again,” the incumbent assured.
Blackburn, the first woman elected to the US Senate from Tennessee, will face State Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville.
The Democrat handily won a crowded primary after garnering national attention as one the “Tennessee Three,” Democratic Representatives who were threatened with expulsion from the State House for violating decorum rules after engaging in gun control protests on the House floor. During some debate, Johnson, the sole representative saved from expulsion, was spared by a one-vote margin.
“We’re building a movement here in Tennessee,” the Democrat told a group of Memphis supporters, following her primary win.
The seat is generally considered solid Republican. The state has not sent a Democrat to the US Senate since Al Gore won re-elected in 1990. The race is expected to be closely watched, as each candidate has garnered national recognition. Early polls, however, show Blackburn with an advantage, both as an incumbent in typically red Tennessee and as a down ballot candidate in a Presidential Election year. Donald Trump carried the Volunteer State with 61% of the vote in both 2016 and 2020.
Unlike their Senate colleague, Republican Congressman Chuck Fleischmann was unopposed Thursday, but will face off against Democrat Jack Allen in November. In District 6, incumbent Congressman John Rose will face Democrat Lore Bergman.
In state races, incumbent State Senator Ken Yager, a Republican from Kingston, easily won Scott County. Yager was declared his party’s nominee in Tennessee District 12 after winning the Republican Primary on Thursday evening. Yager bested challenger Teena Hedrick.
“I am humbled and honored by the strong vote of confidence from Republican primary voters in today’s election,” Yager said, in a statement his campaign released, as polls closed on Thursday. “My steadfast commitment to look after my constituents is unchanged. I look forward to winning the November General Election to voice our shared common-sense values in the State Senate. Constituents come first.”
Democrat Curtis Kelly will face Yager, who seeks his fourth term, in November.
“The races are set,” the Democrat said in statement to his social media, “and now it’s time to show Tennessee that we are ready for change. On behalf of all the candidates, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who showed up and supported us. Your unwavering love and dedication have brought us this far, and we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Kelly Keisling was unopposed in District 38 with no Democrat set to appear on the ballot in November.
Other winners include GOP State Committeewoman Ann Ayers-Colvin and Democrat State Committeewoman Carol Abney, who serves as the Treasurer for the Democrat State Executive Committee.
Tiffany Jeffers maintained the Assessor of Property office, while Constable offices will be filled by Chris Russell in District 3, Dennis Chambers in Distrct 4, Chad Jones in District 5, and Randall Duncan in District 6. No candidates filed in Districts 1, 2, and 7.
Scott County had a relatively low voter turnout at 17%.
