Voters will pick party nominees for Rutherford County mayor, sheriff, other offices
Tuesday's Rutherford County primary will include competitive races for full-time offices: mayor, sheriff, circuit clerk clerk and register of deeds.
The county's 28 polling locations that can be used by any voter — regardless of residence — will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Rutherford County Election Commission has 280 poll workers ready to serve voters. Voters must show a Tennessee-issued photo ID or U.S passport to participate, said Alan Farley, administrator of elections.
Rutherford has 201,075 registered voters; 9,675 ballots were cast during early voting from April 13-28.
The early vote tally included 8,854 people participating in the competitive Republican primary. Another 820 voted for Democratic candidates who have no primary competition.
The winning nominees will advance to compete in the Aug. 4 election, which will include independents for some of the races.
Farley estimated turnout will be in the 10% range, with a final count from 19,000 to 20,000 voters following a steady turn out during early voting.
"We have voted more this election than we did in May 2018, and that is with one less day of voting due to being closed on Good Friday," said Farley, who expects the growing county to see an increase in total votes from four years ago.
The turnout for the 2018 county primary was at 10.37% with 16,290 people participating out of 161,290 registered voters.
Qualified candidates: Your way-too-early guide to 2022 elections in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County
Competitive GOP races
Four Republicans seek a four-year term to be county mayor:
Bill Ketron, the incumbent seeking a second term and a former 16-year state senator
Rhonda Allen, a 12-year member of Rutherford County Commission
Joe Carr, a former six-year state representative;
and Aaron Coffey
The sheriff's race also has three GOP competitors:
Mike Fitzhugh, the incumbent since January 2017
Virgil Gammon, a member of the county commission and a former second-in-command at the sheriff's office
Tom Sissom, a retired Murfreesboro Police Department lieutenant
The circuit court clerk race has two Republican competitors:
Melissa Harrell, the incumbent since 2014
Robin Eades Gentry, who was runner up in 2018 GOP primary
Two are also competing in the GOP primary for register of deeds:
Heather Dawbarn, the incumbent since 2010
Kevin Wax, a former member of the Murfreesboro City Council in 1990s who also lost as a Republican in 1996 in challenging Democratic state Sen. Andy Womack.
The primary also includes competitive GOP races for county commission and school school board seats.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions through emailing sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.
Where to vote
Who's running
Circuit Court Judges 16th Judicial District
Division I: Mark Rogers, incumbent independent; Mike Jones, independent
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
Royce Olen Johnson, independent
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
District 6: Veronica Buchanan, incumbent Republican; Jonathan Beverly, Republican; Patrick Miller, Republican; Tim Tidwell, independent; Jonathan James, Republican
District 7: Mike Kusch, incumbent Republican; Joseph Locher, Democrat; Paul "Roscoe" Williams, independent
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
District 12: Carl B. Boyd, Republican; Jason M. Kemp, Republican; 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
Source: Rutherford County Election Commission staff
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Primary includes candidates for Rutherford County mayor and sheriff