Today is Election Day - Don't Forget to Vote!

Today is Election Day, and the long-awaited County General Election will officially reveal the new county office holders. Some incumbents are running unopposed, sealing their re-election, while other races were unofficially “locked” down after the Republican Primary Election held on May 5th.

The top office in the county, the office of Wayne County Executive, only has one name on the August 6th ballot. John McDonald was declared the winner of the Republican Primary, defeating candidates Phillip Casteel, incumbent Jim Mangubat, and Colby Staggs. No Independent candidates are on the August 6th ballot.

Three county offices hold incumbents who have had no opposition in either the Republican Primary or the August 6th County General Election: County Trustee, Marsheila “Sheila” Rich; Sheriff, Shane Fisher; Register of Deeds, Tyler Strait; and Road Superintendent, Chuck Moser.

All 14 seats on the Wayne County Commission are on the August 6th ballot. Each district, 1 through 7, is represented by two county commissioners. The Republican Primary narrowed down the number of declared Republicans on the ballot to no more than two candidates for the County Commission seats on the August 6th ballot, and there are Independent candidates on the ballot for four of the seven districts. Candidates on the ballot for County Commission are: District 1, Paxton Prince (R), Logan Shull (R); District 2, Randy L. Burns (I), Jake Littrell (I); District 3, David “Shorty” Horner (R), Caleb J. Cummings (I), Charity Treadwell Horton (I), Joe Kent (I); District 4, Josh Davis (R), Gunner Rich (R); District 5, Victoria Lanier (R), Daniel Potete (R), Jeremy W. Robbins (I), Derrek Sherrill (I); District 6, David Martin (R), Rickey Wright (R); District 7, Alvin W. Creecy (R), Ronnie Lee Hobbs (I), Eric Warren (I).

Two county offices have only one Republican and no Independents on the August 6th ballot. In the race for County Clerk, James “Ronnie” Skelton defeated Jessica Sledge Columbia in the Republican Primary. In the race for the office of Circuit Court Clerk, incumbent Carol Warren defeated Emily Crews Maghielse in the Republican Primary. Both Skelton and Warren are the only candidates on the August 6th ballot for each of their offices.

There are two seats on the Wayne County School Board on the August 6th ballot. In District 2, Mark R. Staggs is running unopposed, with Chelsea Bailey Prince also running unopposed in District 5.

The State Primary Election joins the Federal Primary Election and the County General Election on the August 6th ballot. Marsha Blackburn faces two opponents in the State Republican Primary for the top office in the state, the office of Governor: Monty Fritts and John Rose. The State Democratic Primary will narrow the field of five candidates down to one ahead of the Federal/State General Election on November 3rd. Five candidates are on the Democratic Primary ballot for the office of Governor: Carnita Atwater, Tim Cyr, Jerri Green, Adam “Ditch” Kurtz, and Kevin Lee McCants.

Incumbent Tennessee State Representative Kip Capley, District 71, is unopposed on the ballot for the August 6th State Republican Primary. Only one candidate, Matt Day, is on the State Democratic Primary ballot.

Two candidates are on the State Republican Primary ballot for the office of State Executive Committeeman, District 26: Johnny Bellis and Bob Hendry. Only one candidate is on the State Democratic Primary ballot, Charles B. Watkins, Sr.

A familiar name to Wayne County is on the ballot for the office of State Executive Committeewoman, District 26. Stacey Hardin Brewer is running unopposed in the State Republican Primary, and in the State Democratic Primary, Civil Miller-Watkins is running unopposed as well.

One seat in the U.S. Senate is on the August 6th ballot. Incumbent U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R) is running unopposed in the Federal Republican Primary, while there are five candidates on the ballot in the Federal Democratic Primary: Marquita Bradshaw, Maria Brewer, Kevin Lee McCants, Civil Miller-Watkins, and Diana Onyejika.

There are four candidates on the August 6th ballot in the Federal Republican Primary race for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, District 9: Charlotte Bergmann, Brent Taylor, Jeremy Thompson, and Todd Warner. Four candidates are on the ballot in the Federal Democratic Primary as well: M. LaTroy A-Williams, London Lamar, Justin J. Pearson, and Jim Torino.

Three seats on the Waynesboro City Commission are on the August 6th ballot for the Municipal Election. Incumbents Chris Bevis, Tony L. Creasy, and Jeff Howell are running unopposed to retain the three seats.

All registered voters who did not participate in early or absentee voting must remember to vote at their assigned voting precinct on Election Day, August 6th.