Early voting numbers for the county general and state primary elections were 30.1 percent lower than early voting during the same period in 2018.
According to numbers provided by Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Tipton County saw 3,532 voters turn out during the July 15-30 early voting period.
During the county general and state primary elections in 2018, that number was 5,053.
Four years prior, in 2014, there was a similar turnout with 5,071 voters casting ballots before election day.
Only 10 Tennessee counties had early voting numbers in 2022 which surpassed those in 2018 –– Clay, Cocke, Dekalb, Franklin, Grundy, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Shelby and Van Buren.
Turnout was up 28.14 and .73 percent in neighboring Lauderdale and Shelby counties.
Early voter turnout in Tipton County was the highest on Saturday, July 30 with 385 people voting. It was lowest on Saturday, July 16 with 127 voters.
There were 2,852 Republican ballots cast during ealry voting compared to 616 Democrats.
Election Day
The county general and state primary election will wrap up tonight.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. all over the county.
There are several contested races on the ballot.
County commissioners
Nearly every district’s county commission race is contested.
In District 1, Rod Hickman is challenging incumbents Sheila Barlow and Rusty Wooten.
Longtime District 2 commissioner Tommy Dunavant, who serves as the county emergency management agency director, has decided not to seek re-election. Michael Naifeh is, though, and Ryan Ripperton, Justin Gangaware, and Charles Maxwell are also running.
In District 3, longtime commissioner Jeff Mason is not seeking re-election. Incumbent Richard Kelley, John Anthony Mashburn, and former commissioner Steve Bringle are running to fill the district’s two seats.
District 4 has incumbent Walker Adams and Brett A. Giannini, who has served Atoka’s Board of Mayor and Alderman for more than 16 years, on the ballot. Current commissioner Stephen Shopher ran for the county executive seat in the Republican primary.
Bob Wilson is not seeking re-election in District 5. Incumbent Glenn Turner and Randy Roe are on the ballot for the two open positions.
Both District 6 incumbents Jimbo Adkins and Michelle Smith are on the ballot and are challenged by Caleb Holt.
Another longtime commissioner, Harold “Poochie” Twisdale, is stepping away from the county commission. District 7 incumbent Courtney Fee and challengers Brad Case and Christie Jarvis are running for the districts seats.
District 8 incumbents Cecil G. Watson and James “Lamont” Sneed are running for re-election, challenged by Charles Woelm.
District 9 incumbents Jonathan Murphy and David Copeland are running uncontested.
School board
Also contested are the county’s school board seats. Even-numbered districts are up for re-election this term.
Steve Clark, a former educator, is leaving the school board. Brett Thomas and Loretta Eubanks are running for the District 2 seat.
Grant Shipley, another former educator, is leaving the board as well. Matt McCann won the Republican primary in May and will assume the District 4 spot.
Mary Proctor has served District 6 since the death of board member Richard Joyner several months ago. Jason Jenkins and Patricia Mills are running to serve this district.
In District 8, Ben Kirk is challenging incumbent Belinda Rozell.
County-wide
Incumbent Mike Forbess is being challenged by Scottie DeLashmit for the circuit court clerk seat.
The only other opposition is for constables in District 7. Mike Osborn, who’s served as constable in District 4 for several years, is opposed by Jeffrey Johnson and Robert Lomax.
The following are running unopposed or won their primary in May:
Weber McCraw, Circuit Court Judge Part 1
Blake Neill, Circuit Court Judge Part 2
William C. “Bill” Cole, Chancellor Part 1
Kasey Culbreath, Chancellor Part 2
Mark E. Davidson, District Attorney General
Bo Burk, Public Defender
Jeff Huffman, County Executive
Kristie Glass Maxwell, County Trustee
Bill Peeler, General Sessions Judge
Shannon Beasley, Tipton County Sheriff
Mary Gaither, County Clerk
Claudia Peeler, Register of Deeds
Brian “Moody” Max, Constable (Dist. 1)
Chris Fisher, Constable (Dist. 2)
Curtis Mayo, Constable (Dist. 4)
Darren Smith, Constable (Dist. 5)
James “Shugs” Stroud, Constable (Dist. 6)
State primary
The state primary is also taking place and its goal is to determine who will end up on the ballot in November.
Incumbent Bill Lee has the Republican nomination for governor and the Democrats will choose between Dr. Carnita Faye Atwater, Dr. Jason B. Martin, and J.B. Smiley Jr.
In the U.S. House of Representatives (Dist. 8) primary, Congressman David Kustoff faces opposition from Republicans Danny Ray Bridger Jr., Gary Dean Clouse and Bob Hendry. Democrats will choose between Tim McDonald and Lynette P. Williams.
With the districts redrawn this year, the western part of Tipton County is now in District 9, which is represented by Congressman Steve Cohen. Leo Awgowhat, Charlotte Bergmann, and Brown Dudley are the Republicans on the ballot. Cohen and Latroy Alexandria-Williams are the Democrats.
State rep. Debra Moody is unopposed in the state primary.
Lee Mills, Charlotte Kelley and Deborah Reed are on the ballot as state executive committeeman and committeewoman for District 32.
For more information, visit the Tipton County Election Commission at https://tiptonco.com/government/county_commission/index.php.
The Leader will publish election results on Facebook, its website, and in next week’s issue.
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