Candidates Qualify for Upcoming Elections

BY DAVID FISHER

david@dresdenenterprise.com

WEAKLEY COUNTY (April 8) — The names of those candidates meeting the April 2 qualifying deadline to be on the August 6 ballot, in hopes of receiving their party’s nomination, are set.

The most contested race in the August 6 Primary Election is for the seat being vacated by Andrew “Andy” Holt (R-Dresden), who represents the 76th District in the Tennessee State House of Representatives. Holt announced that he is not seeking another term of office in the state legislature after 10 years of service. The 38-year-old state representative said he will leave office after the November General Election. This leaves the race open for those seeking his seat.

A total of six candidates qualified to enter the race for the Tennessee State House of Representatives seat representing the 76th District. They are: Tandy Darby (R), Dennis J. Doster (R), David Hawks (R) and Jeff Washburn (I) all from Weakley County; John McMahan (R) from Obion County; and Keith Priestley (R) of McKenzie. No Democrat candidates qualified to be on the August 6 ballot for the 76th District State House post.

Those qualified to run for the Tennessee State Senate 24th District seat are: Republican candidates - Casey L. Hood from Obion County and incumbent John D. Stevens of Huntingdon; and Independent candidate Yahweh Yahweh from Gibson County. No Democratic candidates qualified to be on the August 6 ballot for the position.

Among those qualifying to be on the ballot in the August 6 County General Election is Independent candidate Steven J. Totty, who is unchallenged in his bid for the District 5 Commission seat (unexpired term).

In the District 7 Commission race (unexpired term), Republican candidate Mary Beth VanCleave and Whitney W. Stover (I) both qualified.

In the contest for Assessor of Property, incumbent David A. Tuck, who is running as an Independent, remains unchallenged.

The lone person qualifying to run for the District 1 Constable’s seat (unexpired term) is Republican candidate Steven Lynn Todd.

The five Weakley County School Board positions (odd-numbered districts) are unchallenged, with the following incumbent members seeking re-election: District 1 - Gath W. Meeks; District 3 - Jeffrey Lynn Floyd; District 5 - Kimberly B. Longacre; District 7 - Steven D Sims; and District 9 - Joshua Thomas Moore. By law, all school board members must file as Independents.

Those Republican and Democratic candidates, receiving their party’s nomination in the August 6 Primary will face Independent candidates running for their respective positions in the November 3, 2020 State and Federal General Election. Independent candidates are not required to win a primary to be on the November 3 ballot.

Qualifying candidates, who decide not to run, have until noon Thursday, April 9, 2020 to withdraw their candidacy; otherwise, their names will appear on the August 6 primary ballot, even though they no longer seek to be elected.

The voter registration deadline for the August 6 Primary Election is Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Early voting begins Friday, July 17 and continues to Saturday, August 1, 2020. The absentee ballot request deadline is Thursday, July 30, 2020.