Residents take advantage of early voting period

By DONNA RYDER
Associate Editor
Voters are turning out early in Obion County to cast their ballots in state and local races.
Registrar of elections Leigh Schlager said the office has been averaging between 350 and 400 people each day since early voting started Oct. 13. She said it’s more than the most recent governor’s election, but not as many as when the presidential election was on the ballot.
More than 2,300 people have already voted. As of Wednesday, more than 300,000 people had voted early in Tennessee. Day-by-day county figures can be seen at www.tn.gov/sos/election/.
Registered voters can cast their ballots through Thursday at the Obion County Election Office, located at 308 Bill Burnett Circle in Union City. The office is open Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and during early voting periods only on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon.
Items on the ballot include:
Governor  — Republican Bill Haslam, Democrat Mike McWherter and Independents Bayron Binkley, Brandon Dodds, Samuel David Duck, David Gatchell, June Griffin, Toni K. Hall, Mike Knois, Boyce T. McCall, Donald Ray McFolin, Linda Kay Perry, James Reesor, Thomas Smith II, Howard M. Switzer and Carl Twofeathers Whitaker.
United States House of Representatives, 8th Congressional District — Republican Stephen Lee Fincher, Democrat Roy Herron and Independents Donn Janes and Mark J. Rawles.
Tennessee House of Representatives, 77th Representative District — Republican Bill Sanderson and Democrat Judy Barker.
City of Kenton Mayor (vote for one) — Virginia N. Davidson and John Maughan.
City of Kenton Alderman (vote for six) — Delores Agee, Angie Ellis Choate, Tim Johns, Libby Simpson Penland, Faye Sharp, Wade Simpson, Sarah E. Skinner, Susan R. Taylor and Jimmy “Jim” Temple.
City of Kenton Judge — Charles Crouson.
City of Obion Mayor (vote for one) — Jamie Evans and Glen Parnell.
City of Obion Councilman (vote for six) — Patsy Barker, W. Polk Glover, Mike Miller and Renee Webber. James “Jimmy” Depriest and Robert “Bob” Anderson qualified as write-in candidates.
City of Samburg Alderman (vote for four) — Eddie Fickle, Juni Fickle, Johnie L. Johnson and Gerald M. Reed. Robert Griffin qualified as a write-in candidate.
City of South Fulton City Commission, Ward 2  — Tony Perry.
City of South Fulton City Commission, Ward 3 — No one on the ballot. Thomas Pettigrew qualified as a write-in candidate.
City of Troy Mayor — Jimmie C. Hart.
City of Troy Alderman (vote for five) — Deanna A. Chappell, Billy Gene Gurien Sr., Hoyt Sampson, Lew Solmon, Ralph A. Wheatley and Jesse K. Whitesides.
City of Union City Councilman at-large — Terry L. Hailey.
City of Union City Councilman, Ward 1 (vote for one) — Gerald Cox and Danny Leggett.
City of Union City Councilman, Ward 4 — Judy Robinson.
City of Union City School Board at-large (vote for one) — Ellarine Moses and Campbell Rice.
City of Union City School Board, Ward 1 — Glenda Caudle.
City of Union City School Board, Ward 3 — Curtis McLendon.
City of Union City School Board, Ward 5 — John Clendenin.
City of Woodland Mills Alderman — Tom Menees.
Also on the ballot is a “yes,” “no” question for an addition to the state’s constitution:
Constitutional Amend-ment
Shall Article XI, Section 13, of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee be amended by adding the following sentences at the end of the section:
The citizens of this state shall have the personal right to hunt and fish, subject to reasonable regulations and restrictions prescribed by law. The recognition of this right does not abrogate any private or public property rights, nor does it limit the state’s power to regulate commercial activity. Traditional manners and means may be used to take non-threatened species.
Leigh B. Schlager serves as the county’s administrator of elections. Obion County Election commissioners include chairman Robert C. Joyner, secretary Dave Frankum and members Ann Cameron, David K. Parks and John Algee.
Associate Editor Donna Ryder can be contacted by e-mail at dryder@ucmessenger.com.

Published in The Messenger 10.22.10

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