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JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — Candidates aiming to secure positions in Washington County’s government had until noon on Thursday to file their petitions for the upcoming elections.
The positions up for grabs in the May 5 primaries and the August 6 general election include the roles of county mayor, sheriff, county commission members, and school board officials.
Those who wish to withdraw their candidacy have until noon on February 26 to do so.
Current Republican Mayor Joe Grandy is set to face off once more against independent contender James Reeves in the general election. Their previous encounter saw Grandy narrowly win by a margin of just 141 votes.
Competition is heating up in most county commission races, with the Washington County Democratic Party actively participating by fielding candidates for nearly every position. This marks a significant increase from the 2022 elections, where only two Democratic candidates vied for seats on the county commission.
Below is a list of candidates who filed petitions, according to the Washington County Election Commission:
County Mayor
- Joe Grandy – Republican incumbent
- James W. Reeves – Independent
Sheriff
- Keith Sexton – Republican incumbent
Circuit Court Clerk
- Leslie Shaffer – Republican
County Clerk
- Cheryl Storey – Republican incumbent
Register of Deeds
- Cheslie L. Summey – Republican
Trustee
- Rick Storey – Republican
County Commission District 1
- Richard Tucker – Republican incumbent
- Kathy Carr – Democrat
- Joe Walsh – Independent
County Commission District 2
- Bill Austin – Republican
- Marty Johnson – Republican incumbent
- Kitty Allen – Democrat
- Allen E. Jarrett – Independent
County Commission District 3
- Michael A. Hartman – Republican
- Jerome K. Fitzgerald – Republican incumbent
- Ashley Cavender – Democrat
County Commission District 4
- Josh Edens – Republican incumbent
- Todd Hensley – Republican
- Shelley Van Camp – Democrat
- Otto C. Kiehl – Independent
County Commission District 5
- Roger A. Verran – Republican
- Jessica F. Fuller – Democrat
County Commission District 6
- Greg Matherly – Republican incumbent
- Brian Wyatt – Democrat
County Commission District 7
- Harrison Wexler Sr. – Republican
- Emily Hand – Democrat
- David E. Smith – Independent
County Commission District 8
- Freddie Malone – Republican incumbent
- Billy L. Briggs – Democrat
- Scott Keith Holly – Independent
County Commission District 9
- David C. Stout – Republican incumbent
- Sarah Laposky – Democrat
County Commission District 10
- David Tomita – Republican incumbent
- Donald Gomer Feather Jr. – Republican
- Lori Sukel – Democrat
County Commission District 11
- Jodi Jones – Democratic incumbent
County Commission District 12
- Lewis Wexler Jr. – Republican incumbent
- Daniel Cutshall – Democrat
County Commission District 13
- Kenneth “Kenny” Huffine – Republican incumbent
- Cynthia “Cindy” Humphrey – Democrat
County Commission District 14
- Jim Wheeler – Republican incumbent
- Amanda Bacon – Democrat
County Commission District 15
- Mike Masters – Republican
- Ashley Newton – Independent
- Luke Carter – Independent
County School Board District 1 (3 seats)
- Vince Walters – Republican incumbent
- Keith Ervin – Republican incumbent
- Annette Buchanan – Republican incumbent
- Mary Grace (MG) Wooten – Democrat
County School Board District 3 (3 seats)
- David L. Hammond Jr. – Republican incumbent
- Gregg Huddlestone – Republican incumbent
- Chad Fleenor – Republican incumbent