January 4, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
The qualifying deadline is six weeks away for candidates planning to run for county wide offices or positions on the county commission in 2018.
The last day candidates may qualify to run is NOON February 15, 2018. That applies to Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
DeKalb County Democrats will be nominating candidates in a primary set for May 1. Republicans will nominate candidates by caucus (date not yet announced). Nominees of both parties and any independents will run in the August General Election. Winners will take office September 1 and serve for four years.
Thursday, February 1 is the deadline for sheriff candidates to file an affidavit of qualification with the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) and for county road superintendent candidates to file an affidavit of qualification with the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board.
The following county offices are up for election in 2018: Road Supervisor, County Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, and Trustee and for the county commission in each of the seven districts (two per district for a total of 14).
Those positions are currently held by the following:
Road Supervisor: Butch Agee- Republican (not seeking re-election)
County Mayor: Tim Stribling-Democrat
Circuit Court Clerk: Katherine Pack- Democrat
Sheriff: Patrick Ray-Republican
Register of Deeds: Jeff McMillen-Democrat
County Clerk: James L. (Jimmy) Poss-Democrat
Trustee: Sean Driver-Republican
Current County Commissioners:
First District:
Mason Carter-Republican
Julie Young-Democrat
Second District:
Jimmy Midgett-Independent
Joe Johnson-Democrat
Third District:
Jack Barton-Democrat
Bradley Hendrix-Democrat
Fourth District:
Wayne Cantrell-Democrat
Jonathan Norris-Democrat
Fifth District:
Anita Puckett-Democrat
Jerry Adcock-Republican
Sixth District:
Jeff Barnes-Democrat
Betty Atnip—Democrat
Seventh District:
Kevin Robinson-Democrat
Larry Summers-Democrat
Those who have obtained petitions to date are as follows:
- Bobby Johnson-County Commissioner, 3rd District (petition returned and verified)
- Beth Pafford-County Commissioner, 7th District
- Wayne Cantrell-County Commissioner, 4th District, Incumbent
- Joe Johnson-County Commissioner, 2nd District, Incumbent
- Larry Summers-County Commissioner, 7th District, Incumbent
- Mike Foster-County Mayor
- Tim Stribling-County Mayor, Incumbent
- Bradley Hendrix-County Mayor
- Kevin Robinson-County Commissioner 7th District, Incumbent
- Nora Harvey-County Commissioner 2nd District
- Jack Barton-County Commissioner 3rd District, Incumbent
- Scott Little-County Commissioner 4th District
- Jeff Barnes-County Commissioner 6th District, Incumbent
- Betty Atnip-County Commissioner 6th District, Incumbent (petition returned and verified)
- James L. (Jimmy) Poss-County Clerk, Incumbent (petition returned and verified)
- Jimmy Sprague-Road Supervisor (petition returned and verified)
- Jeff McMillen-Register of Deeds, Incumbent
- Nicole Wright-Circuit Court Clerk
- Mark Milam-Circuit Court Clerk (petition returned and verified)
- Julie Young-County Commissioner 1st District, Incumbent
- Bobby R. Taylor-County Commissioner 4th District
Republicans who plan to seek their party’s nomination include:
- Trustee Sean Driver, Incumbent
- Sheriff Patrick Ray, Incumbent
- Danny Hale for Road Supervisor
- Reed Edge for Road Supervisor
- Susan Martin for Circuit Court Clerk