Oak Ridge Today

Frank, White re-elected; incumbents fare well, but some upsets

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Steve Mead at Early Voting

Anderson County Commissioner Steve Mead, one of the incumbents re-elected Thursday, campaigns during early voting at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Fred O’Hara Jr.)

 

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Note: This story was last updated at 2:10 p.m. July 8.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank was elected to her first four-year term on Thursday, and Sheriff Paul White was elected to a third term.

The election featured several close races, including for sheriff and register of deeds, and there were a few upsets, including for Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk, County Commission District 3, and General Sessions Judge, Division II, where longtime Judge Ron Murch suffered defeat.

Paul White

Paul White

In the race for the Tennessee House, Representative John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican, beat back a primary challenge by newcomer Caitlin Nolan.

All 27 precincts have reported.

Here are the final unofficial election results for contested races:

Anderson County Mayor

  • Terry Frank, the Republican incumbent—7,586 (52.69 percent)
  • Jim Hackworth, a Democrat—6,193 (43.01 percent)
  • Bradley Rickett, an Independent—619 (4.3 percent)

Frank, who was first elected to a two-year term in a special election in August 2012, beat Hackworth, a former state representative and county commissioner, by about 1,400 votes. The two fought over a 1990 tax hike and “turmoil” and lawsuits in the Anderson County Courthouse.

Anderson County Sheriff

  • Paul White, the Democratic incumbent—7,386 (51.64 percent)
  • Anthony Lay, a Republican—6,918 (48.36 percent)

White’s margin of victory was just under 500 votes. Lay is a former sheriff in Scott County, and he is currently a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper. The two candidates battled over the food served at the Anderson County jail, crime rate statistics, and the responsiveness of the Sheriff’s Department, among other things. [Read more…]

Votes still coming in, but most incumbents in lead; few upsets possible

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Anderson County Early Voting Campaign Signs

The Thursday election featured the Anderson County general election and the state and federal primaries. Pictured above are campaign signs during early voting at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge.

 

Note: Please see this newer story for final results.

The votes are still coming in and the Anderson County Election Commission is repairing its website, but early results suggest most incumbents are faring well, although a few upsets are possible.

Here is a look at some preliminary voting results in Anderson County, as reported by BBB-TV, Channel 12 in Oak Ridge, with 16 of 27 precincts reporting. There could be a few upsets, including on Anderson County Commission and in the races for Anderson County General Session Judge, Division II, and Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk.

Anderson County Mayor

Terry Frank, the Republican incumbent, leads Jim Hackworth, a Democrat, and Bradley Rickett, an Independent.

Anderson County Sheriff

Paul White, the Democratic incumbent, leads Anthony Lay, a Republican.

Tennessee House of Representatives

Republican primary

John Ragan, the Republican incumbent, leads Caitlin Nolan, his GOP challenger. [Read more…]

Anderson County Election Commission website down

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Anderson County Courthouse

The Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton is pictured above.

The Anderson County Election Commission website, which will be posting election results, is currently down. At about 9 p.m. Thursday, the Election Commission said they are working to repair it as quickly as possible.

We are also monitoring election results in Roane County and will post results as soon as they are available.

See the Anderson County Election Commission results here.

See the Roane County results here.

The elections include Anderson County mayor and Roane County executive and sheriffs in both counties, as well as judicial races, circuit court clerks, county commission, and school board.

Letter: Disgruntled by newspaper’s endorsement of Frank

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To the Editor:

I read the July 19, 2014, News Sentinel daily, and I felt very disgruntled when you, a newspaper not located in Oak Ridge, is endorsing political people in Oak Ridge.

I like it when people think for me.

I thought it ironic that you supported Terry Frank as mayor of Anderson County.

I toured the new Anderson County jail extension that the state forced the county to build and how the county struggled with what would happen if state and federal funds were denied Anderson County citizens. [Read more…]

Letter: Let’s return to civility, good government; vote for Hackworth

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To the Editor:

To elect Jim Hackworth to the office of mayor of Anderson County would be a good and necessary thing. Jim is experienced in both state and local government, having served as county commissioner and state representative from the 33rd District.

He has a master’s degree in organizational management and has had leadership roles and recognition in consumer and employees affairs, utilities, and environmental protection.

By nature and from experience, Jim is calm and thoughtful in his deliberations.I know this because he and I served in county offices at the same time: he as county commissioner and I as circuit court clerk. When he became a state legislator, I kept up with his work for us in Nashville, and was pleased to see that he had positions of leadership. [Read more…]

Letter: Frank earns ‘Realtor Champion’ endorsement

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Terry Frank and Jennifer Roche

Jennifer Roche, KAAR governmental affairs director, presents Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank with the organization’s Realtor Champion Endorsement. (Submitted photo)

Submitted by Terry Frank

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, a Republican seeking re-election in the August 7 election, has received an endorsement as a “Realtor Champion” of the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors’ political action organization.

The Knoxville Area Association of Realtors, or KAAR, covers 12 counties including Anderson County and has 3,000 members. KAAR donated $1,000 to Terry Frank’s campaign from the RPAC (Realtor Political Action Committee), the nonpartisan fundraising arm of the National Association of Realtors’ governmental affairs programs.

RPAC’s mission is to identify candidates for elected office on the local, state, and national levels who will work with Realtors to promote and protect the American Dream of home ownership. [Read more…]

League forum to feature Anderson County candidates on Tuesday

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Oak Ridge High School

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will have a Tuesday evening forum for candidates in Anderson County. The forum will be at Oak Ridge High School, pictured above.

The League of Women Voters will have a Tuesday evening election forum in Oak Ridge that will feature candidates from seven contested races in Anderson County—and give voters a chance to meet candidates in the uncontested races.

The forum stars at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Candidates in the contested races are running for Anderson County mayor, sheriff, register of deeds, circuit court clerk, general sessions judges (Division 1 and 2), and juvenile court judge. They have been invited to speak and answer questions, a press release said.

Candidates who are unopposed for county clerk, trustee, road superintendent, chancellor, criminal and circuit court judge, district attorney general, and public defender will be introduced. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber hosts mayor, sheriff candidate debates Thursday

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Hallerin Hilton Hill

Hallerin Hilton Hill

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a debate for candidates for mayor and sheriff on Thursday evening in Clinton.

The 6 p.m. debate at The Ritz Theater will be moderated by Hallerin Hilton Hill of NewsTalk 98.7. The public is invited.

The candidates for mayor participating in the debate are the incumbent, Terry Frank, a Republican, and her two challengers: Jim Hackworth, a Democrat, and Bradley S. Rickett, an Independent.

The candidates for sheriff are incumbent Paul White, a Democrat, and his Republican challenger, Anthony Lay. [Read more…]

Iwanski announces re-election campaign for County Commission

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Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski is seeking re-election to Anderson County Commission in District 8, which includes the Woodland, Emory Valley, and Hendrix Creek precincts in Oak Ridge.

Iwanski was appointed in 2011 to serve as mayor by County Commission early in his current term on County Commission. This was a 19-month appointment until a mayor could be elected for the remaining two years of former Mayor Rex Lynch’s term.

“It was an honor to be selected by my peers on County Commission to serve as chairman of County Commission for three terms and then as mayor during a difficult time for our county government,” Iwanski said in a press release.

“We had to work together to make some tough decisions,” Iwanski said. “We put several initiatives in place that will expand our retail and industrial tax base, promote tourism, and create jobs. This included setting funds aside for industrial land and infrastructure and creating a public/private partnership to hire a retail recruiter. We also put initiatives in place that are slowing the growth in the county jail population while helping reduce the crime rate. [Read more…]

Radio host Hallerin Hilton Hill to moderate mayor, sheriff debates in July

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Hallerin Hilton Hill

Hallerin Hilton Hill

Radio talk show host Hallerin Hilton Hill will moderate debates for five candidates for Anderson County mayor and sheriff on Thursday, July 10.

The debates are hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, and they are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. July 10 at The Ritz Theater at 119 N. Main St. in Clinton.

Hill has a talk show weekday mornings on NewsTalk 98.7 in Knoxville. [Read more…]

Hackworth has meet-and-greet today

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Jim Hackworth

Jim Hackworth

Jim Hackworth, a Democrat running for Anderson County mayor, is having a meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at the Holiday Inn Express near the Clinton/Norris exit off Interstate 75.

The hotel is at 111 Hillvale Road in Clinton.

Call (865) 603-4225 for more information.

Guest column: Anderson mayor’s budget includes no tax increase

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank has presented her administration’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Frank’s proposed general fund budget, as recently presented to the Budget Committee, keeps most county departments at current-year spending levels and includes no tax increase. It was unanimously approved at a May 15 budget meeting.

The balanced $25,010,105 budget for the county’s general operating fund proposes maintaining a focus on stabilizing spending levels until we have full economic recovery. [Read more…]