August 2014 Primary - State & Local

This is a review of the August 7, 2014 Primary & County General elections. For a review of the May 6, 2014 Rutherford County GOP Primary, see here.

Here is the review of the Aug. 7, 2014 Primary and County General elections. I have included some of the Primary results for the Democrat races as well. To make things easier, I've split the election in two. To read the review of the Aug. 7 U.S Senate and House primary, click here. 

Excluding the governor's race and federal offices which I dealt with in the previous post (along with several Democrat ticket positions*) there were 62 positions sought by 110 people. Of whom, 53 were declared Republicans, 37 were listed as "Independents" (several of these were for non-partisan races, others were actually Democrats and thought it would be wise to change their affiliation), and 20 declared Democrats. There were also 13 judicial positions for which we had the option of retaining or replacing the current judges.

General Vote Totals 

As noted before, 32,675 votes were cast (federal & state races). Early and absentee votes accounted for 53.7% (17,572) of all votes cast, leaving 15,103 votes cast on election day. This equates to a voter turnout of 21.3% based on the number of registered voters. 

Here's the number of votes & turnout percentages for each precinct. Since the official Election Commission report curiously did not provide the turnout figures, I have taken the time to compute them myself, however, they're based on the number of voters in 2013, so they may be slightly off the true 2014 percentage. 

Precinct #

1-1 = 563 votes (turnout 11.8%); 2-1 = 1,026 (28.2%); 2-2 = 817 (27%); 2-3 = 454 (78%) 

3-1 = 772 (27.2%); 3-2 = 711 (27.4%); 4-1 = 656 (23%); 4-2 = 348 (27.1%)

4-3 = 565 (31.4%); 4-4 = 424 (41%); 5-1 = 433 (18%); 5-2 = 299 (12.5%) 

6-1 = 1,129 (36.7%); 6-2 = 927 (26.3%); 7-1 = 630 (25.3%); 7-2 = 964 (26.7%) 

8-1 = 958 (34.2%); 8-2 = 309 (33.4%); 8-3 = 587 (34.4%); 8-4 = 424 (32.7%)

9-1= 843 (24.3%); 9-2 = 798 (23.3%); 10-1 = 689 (22%); 10-2 = 734 (24.5%) 

11-1 = 679 (25.8%); 11-2 = 606 (22.5%); 12-1 = 427 (18.6%); 12-2 = 445 (22.1%) 

13-1 = 699 (25%); 13-2 = 638 (22.2%); 14-1 = 1,572 (41.1%); 14-2 = 1,442 (38.3%) 

15-1 = 1,169 (39.4%); 15-2 = 1,034 (31%); 16-1 = 710 (22%); 16-2 = 203 (32%) 

16-3 = 420 (21%); 17-1 = 489 (16.2%); 17-2 = 61 (8.2%); 17-3 = 32 (7.6%)

18-1 = 653 (21.6%); 18-2 = 760 (33.3%); 19-1 = 635 (22.3%); 19-2 = 660 (23.8%) 

20-1 = 877 (24.7%); 20-2 = 781 (23.2%); 21-1 = 592 (20.5%); 21-2 = 1,031 (37.5%)

The precinct with the highest voter turnout was 2-3 (Milton Fire Hall) at 78%. The lowest voter turnout came from 17-3 (Buds Tire) at a mere 7.6%. Despite having an adult population of nearly 1,000 and at least 419 registered voters, the Buds Tire precinct generally has the lowest voter turnout of any precinct. 

Election Highlights

-----In the race for TN House Rep. District 37, Murfreesboro City Councilman Eddie Smotherman, challenged sitting State Rep. Dawn White. Rep. White won re-election 70.99% to 28.88% (6,139 votes cast).

-----One of the most contested races was for Rep. Joe Carr's seat in District 48. There were three candidates vying for the position: Adam Coggin, Rick Peppers, and Dr. Bryan Terry. In terms of view points and strategy, Coggin and Peppers were very similar, which in a 3-way race, made them vulnerable because they drew from identical voter blocks. Dr. Terry on the other hand, distinguished himself early on with his ideas and played a very hard - and fair - ground game. His team knocked on pretty much every door in the district at least once and his mailers were positive and message based. This worked very well.

Bryan Terry - 38.04% (2,669)

Adam Coggin - 31.57% (2,215)

Rick Peppers - 30.3% (2,126)

Write-in - 0.1% (7)

Total votes: 7,017

Out of the 17 precincts that make up the 48th District, Dr. Terry won 8 and tied with Adam Coggin in another. Dr. Terry's highest vote percentage came from precinct 4-1 where he won 48.16%. Adam Coggin won 5 precincts (plus the tie), and Rick Peppers won 3 precincts. 

-----Another contested Primary was for State House Dist. 49 between incumbent Mike Sparks and current County Commissioner, Robert Stevens. Rep. Sparks won with 54.16% (2,287 votes) while Commissioner Stevens garnered 45.82% (1,935 votes). 

-----For the Tennessee Republican Party's State Executive Committee's General Election, Rutherford County was split between two SEC districts, District 13 and District 14. Each SEC district is represented by a male and a female representative. For SEC Dist. 13, only one male candidate, incumbent Tim Rudd, qualified to appear on the ballot, while Walter Hill resident James Gann organized a write-in campaign. Mr. Rudd won with 98.39% (11,143 total votes cast). Considering the relatively obscure nature of SEC's and that write-ins almost never work, Mr. Gann's 179 votes were still a good showing. 

In the Dist. 13 GOP SEC committeewoman race, Kelsey Ketron won 67.23% (8,174 votes) over Mishelle Perkins' 32.58% (3,961). 

For the Dist. 14 committeemen race, Lance Frizzell won 55.75% (3,363) to Jim Sandman's 43.97% (2,652). And for Dist. 14 committeewoman, Lynne Davis won 60.39% (3,625) compared to Joanne Skidmore's 39.36% (2,363).   

-----The County Commission's General Election was also held on the 7th. Most of the Commission is comprised of Republicans, however Commission Dist. 21 has been held by Democrat Chantho Sourinho since 2010. The race between Commissioner Sourinho and Republican Patsy Briley was incredibly close. Sourinho barely maintained his seat, 49.9% to Briley's 49.69% - a minuscule 3 votes difference. There were 1,467 votes cast for Dist. 21, making 3 votes 0.2% of the total. There were 6 votes cast for a write-in candidate. 

-----Two Republican challengers for judge won their races. Barry Tidwell won 52.79% against David Loughry's (I) 47.16% for General Sessions Judge Part II. And, Councilmen Toby Gilley won 66.86% against Larry Brandon's (D) 47.16% for General Sessions Judge Part III. Gilley's win will open up a Murfreesboro City Council seat which will be filled later this year. 

-----As during the May 6th Primary, the General Election for Sheriff on Thursday was hotly contested. Despite Sheriff Robert Arnold's May Primary victory, he simply cannot seem to shake the fact that many citizens of Rutherford County do not support him and the marks against him continue to rise. So, since this election was indeed the County General, Dale Armour and Jim Tramel decided to run against Arnold as "Independents" (since they couldn't run as a Republicans), not to mention Democrat Bill Kennedy. Despite all this, Arnold managed to win re-election, and, with more than 50% of the vote overall. 

Robert Arnold (R) - 51.9% (16,333)

Dale Armour (I) - 28.33% (8,917)

Bill Kennedy (D) - 17.49% (5,503)

Jim Tramel (I) - 2.25% (708)

Write-in - 0.03% (9 votes)

Total votes: 31,470

-----Finally we come to the issue of retaining or replacing the judges of Tennessee's Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals. There were 13 judges up for replacing.  Despite a grassroots campaign to replace them all - especially the Supreme Court judges - all judges were able to retain their seats. Even in Rutherford County, only one judge, Supreme Court Justice Connie Clark, was voted "out"; state-wide however, she was able to keep her seat. In fact, the votes to "retain" the judges were anywhere from 20-50% higher than those for "replace". 

Individual Races - County Results

Democrat Primary

Governor

Charles V. Brown - 35.44% (1,863)

Kennedy S. Johnson - 34.62% (1,820)

William "John" McKamey - 21.7% (1,141)

Ron Noonan - 7.55% (397)

Write-in - 0.68% (36)

Total: 5,257

U.S. Senate

Terry Adams - 39.09% (2,170)

Gordon Ball - 38.66% (2,146)

Larry Crim - 11.87% (659)

Gary G. Davis - 10.14% (563)

Write-in - 0.23% (13)

Total: 5,551

Democrat SEC Dist. 13

Tommy Bragg 74.64% (2,925)                               Mary Ann Eckles - 67.13% (2,583)                    

Darrell Bouldin 25.31% (992)                                  Kimberli R. Jensen - 32.8% (1,262)

Write-in 2 (0.05%)                                                 Write-in 3 (0.08%)

Democrat SEC Dist. 14

Mark Farrar - 99.82% (1,634)                                  Joan G. Hill - 50.27% (845)

Write-in 3 (0.18%)                                                   Brenda Ables - 49.43% (831)

                                                                              Write-in - 5 (0.3%)

Republican Primary

TN Senate Dist. 13 - Bill Ketron, unopposed, 99.31% out of 12,581 votes.

TN House Dist. 34 - Rick Womick, unopposed, 99.16% out of 5,500 votes.  

County General

Winners in bold.

County Mayor

Ernest G. Burgess (R) - 69.38% (20,493)

Heather A. Brown (I) - 20.82% (6,150)

Teresa St. Clair (I) - 9.65% (2,850)

Write-in - 0.15% (44)

Total: 29,537

Circuit Court Judge 16th Div I –  Jeff L. Peach (R) 45.24% | Mark Rogers (I) 54.69% out of 29,095 votes.

Circuit Court Judge 16th Div II – David Bragg (I) 54.91% | Nathan Nichols (R) 45.02% out of 28,332 votes.
Circuit Court Judge 16th Div III – Keith Siskin (R), unopposed, 99.25% out of 22,557 votes.

Circuit Court Judge 16th Div IV  – Royce Taylor (I), unopposed, 99.72% out of 22,597 votes.

Chancellor 16th Judicial District  – Howard W. Wilson (R), unopposed, 99.52% out of 21,914 votes.
Dist Atty Generl 16th Dist – Jennings H. Jones (R), unopposed, 99.35% out of 22,972 votes.
Public Defender 16th Dist – Gerald L. Melton (R), unopposed, 99.59% out of 22,361 votes.

County Commission Dist 01 – Doug Shafer (R), unopposed, 95.67% out of 416 votes.
County Commission Dist 02 – Steve Pearcy (R), unopposed, 98.54% out of 1,844 votes.
County Commission Dist 03 – Will Jordan (R), unopposed, 99.73% out of 1,09 votes.
County Commission Dist 04 – Jon Jaques (R) 39.34% | Jon Frazier (I) 19.27% | Robert Peay (I) 41.28% out of 1,749 votes.

County Commission Dist 05 – Carol Cook (R), unopposed, 98.87% out of 530 votes.
County Commission Dist 06 – Joe Frank Jernigan (R), unopposed 83.54% out of 1,634 votes (16.46% went to "write-in").
County Commission Dist 07 – Michael Kusch (R), unopposed, 98.74% out of 1,109 votes.
County Commission Dist 08 – Edward Phillips (R) 32.05% | Pettus L. Read (I) 37.98% | Steve Spence (I) 29.92% out of 2,122 votes.
County Commission Dist 09 – Joe A. Gourley (R), unopposed, 99.75% out of 1,186 votes.
County Commission Dist 10 – Brad Turner (R), unopposed, 99.3% out of 1,006 votes.
County Commission Dist 11 – Rhonda Allen (R), unopposed, 98.91% out of 915 votes.
County Commission Dist 12 – Robert Stevens (R), unopposed, 99.67% out of 612 votes.
County Commission Dist 13 – Paul Johnson (R) 68.62% | Chris Deal (I) 31.21% out of 1,144 votes.
County Commission Dist 14 – Charles Baum (R) 76.66% | Tony B. Gaines (I) 23.3% out of 2,558 votes.
County Commission Dist 15 – David Nipper (R) 62.09% | Tim Roediger (I) 37.69% out of 1,820 votes.
County Commission Dist 16 – Phillip Sugg Dodd (R), unopposed, 99.23% out of 904 votes.
County Commission Dist 17 – Jeff Phillips (R), unopposed, 99.04% out of 416 votes.
County Commission Dist 18 – Allen McAdoo (R), unopposed, 99.15% out of 942 votes.
County Commission Dist 19 – Shawn Kaplan (R), unopposed, 99.23% out of 908 votes.
County Commission Dist 20 – Trey Gooch (R), unopposed, 99.58% out of 1,186 votes.
County Commission Dist 21 – Patsy L. Briley (R) 49.69% | Chantho Sourinho (D) 49.9% out of 1,457 votes.
County Trustee – Teb Batey (R), unopposed, 99.64% out of 23,842 votes.
General Sessions Judge Part I – Kevin Hodges (R) 39.9% | Ben Hall McFarlin (I) 60.05% out of 28,927 votes.
General Sessions Judge Part II – David Loughry (I) 47.16% | Barry Tidwell (R) 52.79% out of 27,971 votes.

General Sessions Judge Part III – Larry D. Brandon (D) 33.1% | Toby Gilley (R) 66.86% out of 29,541 votes.
Juvenile Court Judge – Donna Scott Davenport (R), unopposed, 99.61% out of 24,590 votes.
Circuit Court Clerk – Melissa Harrell (R) 75.35% | Avent Lane (D) 24.58% out of 29,178 votes.
County Clerk – Lisa Duke Crowell (R), 75.76% | Pierrecia Lyons (D) 24.19% out of 29,278 votes.
Register of Deeds – Heather Dawbarn (R), unopposed, 99.64% out of 22,868 votes.

Smyrna Town Court Judge

Lynn E. Alexander (I) - 46.07%

Keta J. Barnes (I) - 24.58%

Jeremy Gourley (I) - 13.18%

Cherie W. Meece (I) - 8.69%

W. Alan Rose (I) - 7.36%

Write-in - 0.11%

Total votes: 3,694

Smyrna Town Court Clerk – Terry D. Davenport (I) 55.71% | Lisa K. R. Wagner (I) 44.2% out of 3,468 votes.

Road and School Board positions are non-partisan. 

Road Board Zone 1 – David "Rabbit" Victory, unopposed, 99.66% out of 2,066 votes.

Road Board Zone 2 – Keith Bratcher, unopposed, 99.64% out of 3,089 votes.

Road Board Zone 4 – Dick Steagall, unopposed, 99.75% out of 3,616 votes.

School Board Zone 1 – Aaron B. Holladay, unopposed, 99.48% out of 1,934 votes.

School Board Zone 3 – Veronica Buchanan 32.91% | Howard Jones 32.87% | Lisa Moore 34.13% out of 4,533 votes.

School Board Zone 4 – Wayne R. Blair 81.92% | Eric Tuttobene 17.78% out of 3,994 votes.

School Board Zone 7

Jim C. Estes 37.35% 

Patrick McCarthy 22.66%

Gabriel Fancher 18.72% 

Jody Lynn Bond 15.09% 

Paul L. Peavy 5.76% 

Write-in - 0.42%

Total votes: 4,493 votes

To see detailed county results, visit the Rutherford County Election Commission's report on the primary.

For state-wide results on all the other races, you can see their report here.

Notes:

* I've decided not to review most of the Democrat Primary races, except for Governor and U.S. Senate, because they have almost no chance of winning the General Election. I excluded the State races because several lacked qualified candidates, and for those which did have a candidate they ran unopposed.