Russell Barker
Note: This story was last updated at 8:50 p.m.
Russell Barker, who has served as director of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County, leads in early and absentee voting for Anderson County sheriff, with a roughly 56-44 percent margin over Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas, according to unofficial results released Thursday evening after polls closed and before any precincts had been counted.
Barker, a Republican, had 4,182 early and absentee votes (55.72 percent), compared to 3,323 (44.28 percent) for Lucas, a Democrat.
It’s not clear if Barker’s lead will hold after all 27 precincts in Anderson County are counted. Early voting leads often or usually predict the eventual winner, but in prior elections, the lead has sometimes narrowed or even reversed.
In other early results, Regina Copeland, the Republican director of the 911 center, had a large early lead over Democrat Ebony Capshaw in the race for Anderson County trustee. Copeland had 4,981 early and absentee votes (68.71 percent), compared to 2,268 (31.29 percent) for Capshaw.
Here are early and absentee voting results for Anderson County Commission District 6 in Oak Ridge:
- Steve Mead, an incumbent—396 (35.2 percent)
- Catherine Denenberg, an incumbent—384 (34.13 percent)
- Anthony Allen, a challenger—345 (30.67 percent)
Here are early and absentee voting results for Anderson County Commission District 7 in Oak Ridge:
- Jerry Creasey, an incumbent—538 (38.99 percent)
- Theresa Scott, an incumbent—473 (34.28 percent)
- Jimmy Bouchard, a challenger—369 (26.74 percent)
The two incumbents in District 8, Bob Smallridge and Phil Yager, were unopposed in their runs for re-election on Anderson County Commission. District 8 is also in Oak Ridge.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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