Your way-too-early guide to 2022 elections in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County
Voters on Aug. 4 will elect 21 candidates to represent them on the Rutherford County Commission.
The election will follow a May 3 primary that includes Republicans for most of the seats and 11 Democrats.
For years, commissioner Chantho Sourinho has served as the lone elected Democrat in the county. But his local party leadership expects to win more seats by the Aug. 4 election.
"We are excited," said Cathy Watts, chairperson of the Rutherford County Democratic Party.
"This is the most candidates we’ve had in recent memory. There were seven candidates in 2018, and we have 11."
Still, Austin Maxwell, chairperson of the Rutherford County Republican Party, is confident the GOP will remain strong — now that multiple candidates qualified to run for office.
"We have a Republican running in every county commission seat with the exception of Chantho (District 21)," Maxwell said.
"Overall, I feel pleased with the number of bona fide Republicans — as measured by voting record and party activity — to step forward and seek these offices."
The GOP, however, did send notices to more than a dozen candidates about not meeting Republican requirements to appear on the ballot. The rules include voting in three of last four statewide Republican primaries.
School boards impacted by GOP primary: 'I think we need to keep politics out of schools'
Voters will elect over 50 candidates
In addition to the commission races, voters will elect Circuit Court and General Sessions Court judges to eight-year terms. Voters also will elect a candidate to replace embattled Juvenile Court Judge Donna Scott Davenport, who previously announced plans to retire at the end of her eight-year term. Davenport has faced growing pressure in recent months for her role in the illegal arrests and jailing of children for nearly two decades in Rutherford County.
These decisions, and others, await voters this year. The Daily News Journal will continue to update readers as new candidates are revealed.
Other elected offices in Rutherford County and Murfreesboro include elections for mayors, city council and county commission..
Prior to Election Day, many candidates will compete in the May 3 primary to earn Republican or Democratic party nominations for the local offices. This will include, for the first time, a Republican primary for nominees for school board seats representing Rutherford County and Murfreesboro districts.
The Democratic Party decided against holding primaries for school board seats.
The party nominees and independents will appear on the Aug. 4 ballot.
The Aug. 4 election also includes federal and state primaries involving seats for Congress, governor and state lawmakers. Fast-growing Rutherford County will gain a District 13 Tennessee House of Representatives seat for mostly the west side. The county, during the past decade, has been represented by four state representative seats for Districts 34, 37, 48 and 49.
Federal and state elections are scheduled for Nov. 8, the same date voters in Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville will choose successful candidates for mayor and council (or alderman).
Who's qualified
The following candidates qualified by the noon Feb. 17 deadline to run for the May 3 primary in Rutherford County or as independents or state primary candidates for the Aug. 4 election, according to the Rutherford County Election Commission staff. Candidates have a week to withdraw.
Circuit Court Judges 16th Judicial District
Division I: Mark Rogers, incumbent independent; Mike Jones, independent (local GOP Chairman Austin Maxwell said Jones was not eligible for primary)
Division II Judge: Jimmy Turner, incumbent Republican
Division III Judge: Barry Tidwell, incumbent Republican
Division IV Judge: Jo Atwood, incumbent Republican
Division V Judge: Darrell Scarlett, incumbent Republican
Chancellor: Howard Wilson, incumbent Republican
General Sessions Court Judges
Judge Part I: Ben Hall "Trey" McFarlin III, incumbent Republican
Judge Part II: Ben Bennett, incumbent Republican
Judge Part III: Toby Gilley, incumbent Republican
Judge Part IV: Lisa Eischeid, incumbent Republican
Juvenile Court Judge
Andrae Crismon, independent
Travis Lampley, Republican
District Attorney General 16th Judicial District
Jennings Jones, incumbent Republican
Public Defender16th Judicial District
Gerald Melton, incumbent Republican
Rutherford County Sheriff
Mike Fitzhugh, incumbent Republican
Virgil Gammon, Republican
Tom Sissom, Republican
Pat Garrett, independent
Circuit Court Clerk
Melissa Harrell, incumbent Republican
Robin Eades Gentry, Republican
Register of Deeds
Heather Dawbarn, incumbent Republican
Kevin Wax, Republican
County Clerk
Lisa Duke Crowell, incumbent Republican
Trustee
Teb Batey, incumbent Republican
County Mayor
Bill Ketron, Republican incumbent;
Rhonda Allen, Republican (current county commissioner)
Joe Carr, Republican
Aaron Coffey, Republican (GOP determined Coffey is ineligible for primary)
Royce Olen Johnson, independent (GOP determined Johnson is ineligible for primary)
Randy Allen, independent
Norman Hanks, independent
County Commission
District 1: David Gammon, incumbent Republican; Hope Oliver, Democrat
District 2: Steve Pearcy, incumbent Republican; Justin Taylor, Republican
District 3: Michael Wrather, incumbent Republican; Anita L. Herron, Democrat
District 4: Robert Peay Jr., incumbent independent; Michael A. Rodgers, Republican
District 5: Carol Cook, incumbent Republican; Laura Davidson, independent (GOP determined Davidson is ineligible for primary)
District 6: Veronica Buchanan, incumbent Republican; Jonathan Beverly, Republican; Patrick Miller, Republican; Tim Tidwell, independent; Jonathan James, Republican; (GOP determined James is ineligible for primary)
District 7: Mike Kusch, incumbent Republican; Joseph Locher, Democrat; Paul "Roscoe" Williams, independent (GOP determined Williams is ineligible for primary);
District 8: Pettus Read, incumbent Republican; Matthew Burke, Democrat
District 9: Joe Gourley, incumbent Republican; Joshua James, Republican; Mark A. Linville, Democrat
District 10: Philip E. Wilson, Republican; Tony Campbell, Republican; Iris Dismukes, Democrat
District 11: Anthony Johnson, Republican; Bradley R. Austin, Republican (GOP determined Austin to be ineligible for primary)
District 12: Carl B. Boyd, Republican; Jason M. Kemp, Republican (GOP determined Kemp is ineligible for primary); Celest Davis, Democrat
District 13: Paul Johnson, incumbent Republican; Byron Glenn, independent
District 14: Wayne Irvin, Republican; Rod Key, Republican (currently represents District 19 but is now in 14 after redistricting)
District 15: Craig Harris, incumbent Republican; Cedric Alford, Democrat
District 16: Phil Dodd, incumbent Republican; Kyle Mullicane, Democrat
District 17: Jeff Phillips, incumbent Republican; Mariah Phillips, Democrat
District 18: Allen McAdoo, incumbent Republican
District 19: Corey Sippola, Republican; Romel McMurry, independent
District 20: Trey Gooch, incumbent Republican
District 21: Chantho Sourinho, incumbent Democrat
Rutherford County Board of Education
Zone 1: Tammy Sharp, incumbent Republican
Zone 3: Tim Holden, incumbent Republican; Caleb Tidwell, Republican; Jason Scales, independent
Zone 4: Tiffany Johnson, incumbent Republican; Katie Darby, Republican
Zone 7: Frances Rosales, Republican; Cindy Daniel, independent
Murfreesboro City School Board (at large)
Amanda Moore, incumbent independent
Barbara Long, Republican
Florence E. Omachonu, independent
Karen L. Dodd, independent
Murfreesboro mayor
Tony Lehew, independent (deadline to qualify is noon April 7)
Murfreesboro City Council (at large)
Jami Kristin Averwater, independent (deadline to qualify is noon April 7)
State House of Representatives
District 37: Charlie Baum, incumbent Republican (deadline to qualify is noon April 7)
Source: Rutherford County Election Commission staff
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions through emailing sbroden@dnj.com or calling 615-278-5158.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Murfreesboro elections 2022: Rutherford County races, candidates