Tonight: Republican Party candidates forum in Oak Ridge

The Anderson County Republican Party has a candidates forum in Oak Ridge tonight (Tuesday, April 3).

The forum will feature candidates for these seven Anderson County offices: mayor, sheriff, circuit court clerk, clerk, trustee, register of deeds, and road superintendent. The candidates are running in the May 1 Anderson County Republican Party primary.

The forum will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at the Wildcat Den at 102 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. The doors will open at 6 p.m. for light refreshments, seating, and mingling with Republican primary candidates, a press release said.

All 15 Republican candidates competing for the seven elected offices will be present, the press release said. Candidates will make timed opening and closing statements, and they will answer questions from a moderator, the release said.

The forum is a public event.

“The forum is a great opportunity for Republican voters to hear how the Republican primary candidates will serve the great citizens of Anderson County,” said Anthony Allen, chair of the Anderson County Republican Party.

Early voting for the May 1 primary election starts April 11 and ends April 26.

The Republican primary will decide the election in races where there are no Democrats running in the Democratic primary ahead of the August 2 county general election. The races that will be decided in the Anderson County Republican Party primary on May 1 include mayor, circuit court clerk, county clerk, and register of deeds. There are Democrats running for sheriff and trustee, so the final winner of those elections won’t be decided until August. Anderson County Road Superintendent Gary Long is running unopposed.