Early voting starts Friday
By Crystal Burns
Early voting for the State and Federal Primary and County General Election starts Friday at 8:30 a.m.
All registered Gibson County voters may choose to vote early at the Ed Jones Agriplex in Trenton or the Medina Municipal Complex in Medina. Early voting runs from July 17 to Aug. 1. Weekday hours are 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday hours are 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Election Day is Thursday, Aug. 6.
On July 10, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett encouraged Tennesseans to vote early.
“The safety of voters and poll officials are our top priority,” Hargett said in a press release. “With social distancing measures and many other safety precautions in place for this election, I urge voters to take advantage of Tennessee’s generous early voting period.”
Hargett also said that Tennesseans are encouraged to wear a face covering and maintain six feet of distance from poll officials and other voters while voting. All poll officials will be wearing face coverings.
County general
In the county general, two candidates are unopposed for two unexpired terms on the county commission. Steven A. Brasher is an Independent candidate for District 11, Position 1, and Andrea Knight is an Independent candidate for District 11, Position 2.
Rachele Gibson, an Independent, is unopposed for the unexpired term of Public Defender District 28.
Gary F. Paschall, a Democrat, is unopposed for Assessor of Property.
Voters will also choose to retain or replace Carma Dennis McGeee as a judge of the Court of Appeals, Western Division.
Bradford Special School District voters will choose two trustees. John Dawson, incumbent Mark A. Hampton, and Christopher Johnstone are on the ballot.
Scott Ball and Kris Holden are vying for the Gibson County Special School District seat in District 1, and John L. Campbell II is unopposed for the District 5 seat.
Incumbent Gregory Boucher is unopposed for the Kenton Special School District, Gibson County Position seat. Incumbent Mike Farrar is unopposed for the City of Kenton Position seat. Dennis Littleton is unopposed for the Obion County Position seat.
Longtime Trenton Special School District Board Chairman Mark A. Harper is unopposed for Position 1. Katie Dinwiddie is unopposed for Position 4.
State Republican primary
In the state Republican primary, a crowded field is on the ballot for a shot to replace the retiring Senator Lamar Alexander in the United States Senate. Candidates are Clifford Adkins, Natisha Brooks, Byron Bush, Roy Dale Cope, Terry Dicus, Tom Emerson Jr., George S. Flinn Jr., Bill Haggerty, Jon Henry, Kent A. Morrell, Glen L. Neal Jr., John E. Osborne, Aaron L. Pettigrew, David Schuster, and Manny Sethi.
U.S. Congressman David Kustoff is unopposed in the Republican primary for the District 8 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
State Representative Curtis Halford is challenged by Christine Warrington in the Republican primary for District 79 of the Tennessee House of Representatives. The primary winner will take the election as no Democratic candidates qualified for the race.
State Senator John D. Stevens faces challenger Casey L. Hood in the Republican primary for District 24 in the Tennessee Senate. The primary winner will take the election as no Democratic candidates qualified for the race.
State Democratic primary
Marquita Bradshaw, Gary G. Davis, Robin Kimbrough, James Mackler, and Mark Pickrell are Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate.
Erika Stotts Pearson, Lawrence A. Pivnick, Hollis W. Skinner, and Savannah Williamson will vie for the Democratic nomination for District 8 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
For more information on voting, contact the Gibson County Election Commission at 731-855-7669.
