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2014 Election: Anderson County primary voting totals

Posted at 12:30 am May 7, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County Election Commission

Here are the unofficial election results for the contested races in the Democratic and Republican primaries in Anderson County on Tuesday. The results include all 27 precincts, early voting, and absentee ballots.

Anderson County mayor—Republican primary

  • Terry Frank—3,896 (53 percent)
  • Zach Bates—3,406 (47 percent)

Anderson County chancellor—Republican primary

  • Nichole “Nicki” Cantrell—3,895 (54 percent)
  • Michael S. Farley—2,979 (41 percent)
  • Phil Harber—368 (5 percent) [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anthony Lay, Brian Hunt, chancellor, David Dunkirk, Democrat, juvenile court judge, Lauren Biloski, mayor, Michael Clement, Michael Farley, Nicki Cantrell, Phil Harber, primaries, Randy Myers, Republican, sheriff, Terry Frank, Vickie Bannach, Zach Bates

Anderson County elects first female chancellor

Posted at 10:37 pm May 6, 2014
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Anderson County Republican Party Candidates

Nicki Cantrell, second from right, who is running unopposed in the Aug. 7 general election after winning the Republican primary on Tuesday, will become Anderson County’s first female chancellor. Also pictured at right is Michael Farley, one of her two Republican opponents. The three GOP candidates for Juvenile Court judge are also pictured. From left they are Vickie Bannach, Lauren Biloski, and Brian Hunt, the winner of Tuesday’s Republican primary.

 

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Note: This story was last updated at 4:10 p.m. May 7.

Primary Winners: Frank, Cantrell, Hunt, Lay, Clement

One is Anderson County’s first female mayor. The other will become the county’s first female chancellor.

The two candidates—Terry Frank and Nicki Cantrell—beat their opponents by significant margins in the Republican primary on Tuesday. Both said their victories were based in large part on running positive campaigns.

Cantrell’s victory over Clinton attorney and City Judge Michael Farley, who had the support of many other lawyers, appeared to be the big upset of the night in what had been the most heated race, with the two candidates clashing over their courtroom experience and trading accusations of false claims and “mudslinging.”

Zach Bates

Zach Bates

Both were running to replace the current chancellor, William Lantrip, who is retiring at the end of June after 25 years on the bench. The chancellor hears cases in Chancery Court ranging from divorces and adoptions to lawsuits and contract disputes, but can also sometimes hear Criminal Court cases, sit as the Circuit Court judge, and hear Juvenile Court appeals.

“Nobody believed we could do this,” Cantrell’s husband Dail Cantrell said Tuesday night. “We refused to run a negative campaign and got the support of the people.”

Nicki Cantrell won by about 900 votes, collecting 3,895 votes to Farley’s 2,979, according to unofficial results with all 27 precincts reporting. That’s roughly a 54 percent to 41 percent margin.

A third candidate, Republican Phil Harber, who did not appear to campaign as hard as either Farley or Cantrell, received 368 votes. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, 2014 Election, Anderson County, Anderson County, Government, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anthony Lay, Brian Hunt, chancellor, county primary, David Dunkirk, Democrat, Jim Hackworth, juvenile court judge, Lauren Biloski, mayor, Michael Clement, Michael Farley, Nicki Cantrell, Paul White, Randy Myers, Republican, sheriff, Terry Frank, Vickie Bannach, Zach Bates

2014 Election: Frank says she’s kept her promise; Bates wants to focus on retail, housing

Posted at 9:40 am May 5, 2014
By John Huotari 3 Comments

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Zach Bates

Zach Bates

CLINTON—She says she’s kept her promise to protect Anderson County from higher taxes and worked to make government more efficient while improving customer service.

He says the county needs a more targeted approach to bringing in new retail and rebuilding the housing market.

The two candidates, incumbent Terry Frank and her challenger Zach Bates, face off in the Republican primary in Anderson County on Tuesday.

Frank was first elected in a special election in August 2012. She is the first female mayor of Anderson County and running for her first four-year term. She is completing the unexpired term of former mayor Rex Lynch, who resigned in January 2011.

Bates is a one-term Anderson County Commissioner who is not seeking re-election to that seat. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Commission, Bradley S. Rickett, debt rating, economic development, fund balance, general election, government, growth, housing, Jim Hackworth, jobs, mayor, Republican primary, reserves, retail, revenue, tax cut, taxes, Terry Frank, Zach Bates

Meet mayor, sheriff candidates at AARP today

Posted at 8:43 am April 17, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

aarp-sheriff-mayor-candidates-0414-300x250

The local AARP chapter has organized an event today that will allow voters to meet candidates for Anderson County mayor and sheriff.

It starts at 1 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Senior Center. Those who attend are encouraged to bring a snack.

Candidates for mayor include the incumbent, Terry Frank, a Republican first elected in August 2012; her GOP opponent, Commissioner Zach Bates; and Democrat Jim Hackworth, a former state representative. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Community, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: AARP, AARP Chapter No. 625, Anderson County, Anthony Lay, Doris Hardin, Jim Hackworth, mayor, Paul White, Randy Myers, sheriff, Terry Frank, Zach Bates

Republican forum: Issues range from jobs, retail to drug courts, trial experience

Posted at 8:46 am April 9, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County Republican Party Forum

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, center, gives an opening statement during a Tuesday night candidate forum for Republican Party candidates. Also pictured are Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates, left, who is challenging Frank in the May 6 GOP primary, and Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Randy Myers, one of two Republican candidates for sheriff.

Note: This story was last updated at 11:45 a.m.

The starkest differences between any candidates at a Tuesday night Republican Party forum might have emerged in the race for Anderson County chancellor, where candidates Michael Farley and Nicki Cantrell clashed on questions of trial experience and whether the Chancery Court should ever be used to hear criminal cases.

In the race for sheriff, Republican candidates Anthony Lay and Randy Myers agreed on one key question: No federal inmates should be housed at the Anderson County jail.

In the race for mayor, Terry Frank, the incumbent, said she had presided over one of the few—and possibly the only—tax cut in Anderson County history, while her opponent, Commissioner Zach Bates, said the county’s biggest economic challenge is “retail leakage.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County jail, Anthony Lay, Brian Hunt, candidate forum, chancellor, Chancery Court, Democrat, drug court, federal inmates, general election, jobs, judge, Juvenile Court, Lauren Biloski, League of Women Voters, mayor, Michael Farley, Neighborhood Watch, Nicki Cantrell, Oak Ridge Police Department, Phil Harber, property taxes, Randy Myers, Republican Party, retail, sheriff, tax cut, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Terry Frank, truancy, U.S. Department of Energy, Vickie Bannach, William Lantrip, Zach Bates

Letter: Unbridled defense of Mayor Frank challenged

Posted at 1:19 am April 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters 19 Comments

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Note: Anderson County Commissioner Myron Iwanski wrote this letter in response to a March letter by Clinton resident Stephen Flick.

To the Editor:

In a guest column, Stephen Flick states that my question to the mayor about the recent state audit was intended to embarrass and harass the mayor. A little background might help explain why I raised the question.

The recently completed State Financial Audit for Anderson County raised serious concerns about overspending by $22,740 on a salary in one of the mayor’s offices—which is in violation of state law. The audit finding and responses are available on the state website here on pages 252 and 253.

As noted in the audit report, of particular concern to the auditors was that this overspending occurred after County Commission twice turned down the mayor’s requests for this funding increase and that the mayor knowingly overspent on this salary anyway.

This is the first time in my 20 years on the Audit Committee that we have had a finding like this. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Commission, Audit Committee, audit finding, financial audit, mayor, Myron Iwanski, state audit, Stephen Flick

Letter: Makes me appreciate my pastor

Posted at 1:00 am April 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters 1 Comment

Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

Anderson County Commission Chairman Chuck Fritts wrote this letter in response to a March letter by Clinton resident Stephen Flick.

To the Editor:

With the May 6 primary drawing closer and the Aug. 7 general election not far behind, you are going to start seeing a lot of negative ads, articles, and letters to the editors in our newspapers, flyers/letters in your mail, and ads on your TVs. It’s extremely sad that a candidate can no longer run on their own merits and what they stand for, but they have to try and always attack their opponents. In the end, they think that this will win them votes, but in many cases it just turns a lot of folks off and in the long run loses that candidate the votes they are seeking. You used to just see this type of campaigning in the state and national elections only, but anymore it’s starting to get extremely bad even here at the local level. I’ve been a county commissioner now for 12 years and have gone through three elections, and I can honestly say that I have never ever run a negative campaign. I’ve run on my merits only and have never attacked another opponent. When I go door-to-door or talk to a potential voter, I talk about myself only and always ask if they have any questions.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Law Director, Chuck Fritts, general election, mayor, negative campaign, primary, Sheriff's Department, Stephen Flick

Letter: A defense of Mayor Frank

Posted at 12:46 am April 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

Stephen Flick

Stephen Flick

To the Editor:

When Terry Frank assumed the office of county mayor for Anderson County, she barely had time to sit down behind her office desk before Chuck Fritts initiated his withering and relentless assault against her. With the least provocation, Fritts has repeatedly attempted to advance his agenda as openly and as scathingly as possible against Mayor Frank. Seizing as much media attention as possible, Fritts has continued his attacks from the opening of Mayor Frank’s tenure down to the present. In response to one of the first open attacks Fritts made against her “Car Gate,” Mayor Frank candidly refuted Fritts’ charges and laid down an olive branch to him and his politicalcolleagues, asking them to lay aside the campaign mode of relating to each other. Had Mr. Fritts responded in a similar spirit, he could have saved our county much strife over the last 16-18 months.

As Fritts continued his attacks against the mayor, his political allies were emboldened to take up the standard with him. The recent February meeting of the County Commissioners is one recent example. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, Chuck Fritts, mayor, Myron Iwanski, national motto, Stephen Flick, Terry Frank

Voters can meet candidates for contested Anderson County offices on April 15

Posted at 12:40 pm April 5, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Democracy for East Tennessee

From left to right, DFET members Charles Jones, Joan Cassens, and Tom Burns review the 2014 Anderson County primary ballot while planning a “meet the candidate” event. (Submitted photo)

Democracy for East Tennessee has organized an April 15 event that will allow Anderson County voters the chance to meet candidates for four county offices before the May 6 primary election.

The four contested races are for Anderson County mayor, sheriff, chancellor, and Juvenile Court judge. Other offices on the primary ballot are not contested.

The “meet the candidates” event is scheduled from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center’s A/B Room.

“Democracy for East Tennessee is sponsoring this event so citizens of Anderson County can become better acquainted with the candidates for four Anderson County offices before the primary election on May 6,” the organization said in a press release. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, chancellor, Democracy for East Tennessee, Joan Cassens, juvenile court judge, mayor, Oak Ridge Civic Center, primary election, sheriff, Tom Burns, voters

Anderson County Republicans also have April 8 candidate forum

Posted at 10:46 am March 31, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 19 Comments

The Anderson County Republican Party will have an April 8 forum for GOP candidates running for county offices in the May 6 primary election.

The forum starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge. It’s expected to last about two hours, a press release said.

“This year’s election is especially important for Anderson County’s future,” said Aaron Wells, chairman of the Anderson County Republican Party. “A forum will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase our great candidates and the Republican vision for the county. We invite folks to join us for what should be an interesting and informative evening. ”

The Republican Party forum is scheduled at the same time and the same night as a candidate forum organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. The League forum is for both Democratic and Republican candidates in the May 6 primary elections. It’s not clear yet if either event might be rescheduled to allow Republican candidates to attend both. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Anderson County Republican Party, candidate forum, chancellor, juvenile court judge, League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, mayor, Midtown Community Center, primary election, sheriff

Anderson County primary deadline Thursday at noon

Posted at 1:06 pm February 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

The deadline to qualify as a candidate in any of the races on the ballot for Anderson County’s May 6 primaries is at noon Thursday.

Here is a look at who has qualified so far:

  • So far, only incumbent Judge Don Elledge has qualified to run for his seat as criminal and circuit judge.
  • Five people have qualified to run in the hotly-contested Juvenile Court judge primaries. Two Democrats—J. Michael Clement and David Dunkirk—are seeking the nomination, while three Republicans—Victoria Bannach, Lauren Biloski, and Brian Hunt—have qualified to seek their party’s nod to run for the seat in the August general election.
  • Brandon Fisher, the current Juvenile Court judge, had qualified to run for the Democratic nomination for chancellor, a seat coming open due to the retirement of William Lantrip, but he announced just a couple of weeks ago that he will be dropping out of the race to join a company in Pennsylvania. On the Republican side, Mike Farley and Phil Harber have qualified to appear on the May ballot. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Election Commission, Anthony Lay, Bill Gallaher, Brandon Fisher, Brian Hunt, chancellor, Circuit Court Clerk, county clerk, Dave Clark, David Dunkirk, Democratic primary, district attorney general, Don Elledge, Don Layton, Gary Long, General Sessions, J. Michael Clement, Jeff Cole, Juvenile Court, Lauren Biloski, May 6 primaries, mayor, Mike Farley, Paul White, Phil Harber, primary, public defender, Randy Myers, register of deeds, Republican primary, road superintendent, Rodney Archer, Ron Murch, Ryan Spitzer, sheriff, Terry Frank, Tim Shelton, Tom Marshall, trustee, Tyler Mayes, Victoria Bannach, William Jones, William Lantrip, Zach Bates

Commissioner Bates opposing Mayor Frank in May Republican primary

Posted at 2:36 pm January 21, 2014
By John Huotari 5 Comments

Zach Bates Announces for Anderson County Mayor

Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates, pictured at center with his wife Whitney, announces he is running for Anderson County mayor in the Republican primary in May.

CLINTON—Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates on Tuesday announced he is running for Anderson County mayor in the Republican primary in May.

Bates, 25, will oppose Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, 45, who was elected to a two-year term in August 2012, completing the unexpired term of former mayor Rex Lynch, who resigned in January 2011.

The oldest of 19 children, Bates was 21 when he was elected to the Anderson County Commission  in 2010. He represents District 4, which includes Lake City and Briceville. County officials said he is the youngest mayoral candidate they can recall.

His challenge to Frank might have appeared unexpected. The two have at times appeared to be politically aligned, including, for example, on the citizen-led initiative to install “In God We Trust” signs on the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton in July 2013. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Commission, campaign, election, mayor, Republican primary, Terry Frank, Zach Bates

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