DeKalb County Election Commission

Announcements

SMITHVILLE MUNICIPAL ELECTION JUNE 15

Candidates can now pick up petitions for the June 15th Smithville Municipal Election in which a mayor and two aldermen will be elected.
Picking up petitions as of January 28th--Bruce Medley, Mayor; Taft Hendrixson, Mayor; Steve White, Alderman; and Cecil Burger, Alderman.

SCHOOL BOARD RACES AUGUST 5TH

Candidates can now pick up petitions to run for five seats on the DeKalb Co. Board of Education (districts, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7).
Picking up petitions as of January 25th--Charles Robinson, 2nd district and Kenny Rhody, 3rd district.

PETITIONS ISSUED

This information will be updated periodically.

CANDIDATES WHO HAVE PICKED UP QUALIFYING PETITIONS FOR THE MAY 4 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY AND THE OFFICES THEY WISH TO SEEK, AND INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

BOBBY COLVER--COUNTY MAYOR; MIKE FOSTER—COUNTY MAYOR; CHRIS SMITHSON--COUNTY CLERK; MIKE CLAYBORN—COUNTY CLERK; GLYNN MERRIMAN—COUNTY CLERK; KATHERINE PACK—CIRCUIT COURT CLERK; JEFF MCMILLEN—REGISTER OF DEEDS; JIMMY SPRAGUE--ROAD SUPERINTENDENT

JIMMY W. POSS—CO. COMMISSIONER 7TH DIST.; LARRY SUMMERS—CO. COMMISSIONER 7TH DIST.; RICHARD KINSEY—(INDEPENDENT) CO. COMMISSIONER 7TH DIST.; JEFFREY K. BARNES—CO. COMMISSIONER 6TH DIST.; MARSHALL FERRELL—CO. COMMISSIONER 6TH DIST.; JOHNNY RINGO COLWELL—CO. COMMISSIONER 5TH DIST.; RANDY BRASWELL—CO. COMMISSIONER 5TH DIST.; BOBBY R. TAYLOR—CO. COMMISSIONER 5TH DIST.; JOHN D. GREEN—CO. COMMISSIONER 5TH DIST.; LLOYD EMMONS—(INDEPENDENT) CO. COMMISSIONER 5TH DIST.; JESSE BAKER, CO. COMMISSIONER 4TH DIST., RONALD H. ROGERS, CO. COMMISSIONER 4TH DIST.; DAVID MCDOWELL--CO. COMMISSIONER 4TH DIST.; WAYNE CANTRELL—CO. COMMISSIONER 4TH DIST.; JOHNATHON W. WILLOUGHBY--CO. COMMISSIONER 3RD DIST.; JERRY SCOTT—CO. COMMISSIONER 3RD DIST.; ROY MERRIMAN—CO. COMMISSIONER 3RD DIST.; BRADLEY HENDRIX—CO. COMMISSIONER 3RD DIST.; JACK BARTON—CO. COMMISSIONER 2ND DIST.; ELMER ELLIS, JR.—CO. COMMISSIONER 1ST DIST.

PETITIONS RETURNED AS OF 4 P.M, FEBRUARY 3:

MIKE FOSTER, JOHN GREEN, JESSE BAKER, JACK BARTON, JAMES SPRAGUE, CHRIS SMITHSON, ROY MERRIMAN, MIKE CLAYBORN, JOHNNY RINGO COLWELL, RANDY BRASWELL, GLYNN MERRIMAN, BOBBY R. TAYLOR, JEFF MCMILLEN, JERRY SCOTT, LARRY SUMMERS, RICHARD KINSEY, JIMMY W. POSS, WAYNE CANTRELL, BRADLEY HENDRIX,ELMER ELLIS, JEFF BARNES.

ALSO, JAMES HALE HAS PICKED UP A PETITION TO SEEK THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINATION IN AUGUST FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE; TOMMY HAY OF SMITHVILLE HAS PICKED UP AND RETURNED A PETITION TO RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS IN NOVEMBER.

PETITION INFORMATION FOR THE MAY 4 DEKALB CO. DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

NOMINATING PETITION INFORMATION
All petitions must be obtained from the DeKalb County Election Commission office. We prefer you come in person to obtain your petition, but if extenuating circumstances occur an agent may pick up a petition on the candidate’s behalf. Also, an agent may return the petition for the candidate. With the exception of the Candidate’s Section, the petition must be completed in the Election Commission Office. (No titles may be printed with the candidate’s name.)

No photocopies of the petition will be accepted. Additional copies of the petition must be obtained from the Election Commission Office.

Twenty-five (25) eligible nominating signatures and the candidate’s signature are required. Eligible refers to people who are registered to vote in DeKalb County and would be qualified to vote for the candidate. In some instances signatures must be obtained in a specific district or municipality. We recommend you obtain 40-to-50 signatures due to the fact some people may not be registered or may have become ineligible to vote.

TCA 2-5101 states that “a person’s regular signature shall be accepted just as the person’s legal signature would be accepted.” For example, “Joe Public” shall be accepted just as “Joseph Q. Public” would be accepted. However, it is suggested that voters signing your petition sign their name as it is listed on their voter’s registration. Many signatures are very difficult to read. To help eliminate that problem, please also print the name on the appropriate line.
Each voter must sign his/her own name. Husbands cannot sign for their wives and wives cannot sign for their husbands. Anyone who cannot sign his/her name due to disability must have two (2) witnesses.

Voters signing the petition must list their CORRECT RESIDENCE ADDRESS including the city. A Post Office Box number will NOT be accepted as an address.
All petitions must be filed before 12:00 NOON February 18, 2010 with the DeKalb County Election Commission. State law requires the election office to refuse any petitions brought in after the noon deadline.

Nominating signatures are verified in the order in which we receive the petitions. You will be notified of any problems with your petition. In order to have time to correct any deficiency, it is strongly suggested you turn in your petition well in advance of the deadline.

Individuals who wish to withdraw their nominating petitions have one week from the qualifying deadline to do so. A written request with the candidate’s original signature must be filed prior to 12:00 NOON, seven (7) days after the qualifying deadline with the DeKalb County Election Commission. A fax will not be accepted. A phone call will not be accepted. The withdrawal deadline is NOON February 25, 2010.

Circuit Court Judge, Chancellor, General Sessions Judge, Juvenile Court Judge, District Attorney General and District Public Defender candidates must file their original petition in the County Election Office where they reside. They must also file a certified copy of the original petition in the other county election commission offices within the judicial district. The petition must also include the candidate’s Supreme Court Registration Number. All petitions (original and certified copies) must be filed prior to NOON on the qualifying deadline of February 18, 2010. This is the candidate’s responsibility.

Sheriff, Highway Superintendent and School Board candidates have specific qualification documents that must be filed as part of the qualifying process.
SHERIFF—Any person seeking the office of sheriff must have proof of high school diploma or its equivalent in educational training by the state board of education, possess a current and valid peace officer certification as issued by the Tennessee POST Commission and shall file all documents with the POST Commission by the 14th day before the qualifying deadline. This is the candidate’s responsibility. The qualifying deadline is NOON February 18, 2010, and the 14th day before is February 4, 2010.

HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT—Any person seeking the office of Highway Superintendent shall file affidavits and such other evidence as the Tennessee Highway Official Certification Board shall require no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the qualifying deadline. This is the candidate’s responsibility. The qualifying deadline is NOON February 18, 2010 and the 14th day before is February 4, 2010.

MAY LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY MAY 4

Numerous offices will be up for grabs next year in DeKalb County and across the state, with local balloting beginning with the DeKalb County Democratic Primary on May 4, 2010.

The DeKalb County Election Commission voted recently (Nov. 5) to approve a request from the local Democratic Party to hold a primary for seven county-wide offices, 14 county commission seats, one circuit judge and the district attorney. Winners will take on any Independent or Republican candidates in the August General Election.

Offices eligible for the May ballot are County Mayor, County Court Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Trustee, Register of Deeds, Road Supervisor and Sheriff, county commissioners in districts 1-7, 13th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Part 1 and District Attorney. The later two are up for election due to previous resignations and those appointed to fill the seats were appointed until the next scheduled election.

DeKalb County Administrator of Elections, Dennis Stanley, said qualifying petitions can be picked up beginning November 20th, 2009 and the qualifying deadline for the May 4th Primary is NOON, Thursday, February 18, 2010. He said there is another important date for potential sheriff and road supervisor candidates to remember—February 4.

Sheriff candidates must file “affidavits of qualification” with the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission no later than February 4, 2010. Road Supervisor candidates must file their affidavits of qualification with the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board no later than February 4, 2010.

Stanley also said Independent candidates have the same qualifying deadline, NOON, February 18, 2010. The Republican Party, which usually selects its nominees by caucus, must certify its candidates by the same date and time.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN ELECTION WORKER?

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VOTING SYSTEM INSTRUCTIONS AND VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS

Voting system instructions and video demos are available at
www.state.tn.us/sos/election/voting_systems/index.htm