Two candidates have withdrawn from City Council races.
Ervin Mitchell said he will not run for District 7 and George Jackson will not be a candidate in District 2.
Chris Anderson, a District 7 candidate, had asked the Election Commission to look into whether Mr. Mitchell was a valid resident of the district. Mr. Mitchell sent a short note to the election office saying he is not running.
Mr. Jackson said, "Since announcing my candidacy I have been humbled and honored by the support from the people of Chattanooga and District Two.
The candidate list for District Two has continually grown. During this period Elysia and I have committed much of our time to our newborn daughter, Emma Kate. Due to personal time constraints, I'll not be able to conduct a competitive campaign. Therefore, I am withdrawing from the race for District Two.
"The next mayor and City Council will face many challenges including tackling gang crime and job growth. Our city government must be tough on crime, better manage our treasury, and encourage job growth by recruiting industry and tech companies.
"As a deputy of the Sheriff's Office I am forbidden by Civil Service statues to publicly endorse a candidate and I am open to meeting with all candidates from District Two. However, to date Roger Tuder is the only candidate with which I have spoken. Mr. Tuder and I share the same views concerning crime. We both feel growing the police presence in District Two is essential. As for job growth, I have found Mr. Tuder to be a wealth of knowledge. His involvement in the Chamber of Commerce and other boards as well as employment in the banking and contractor industries has given him vast knowledge of the business world and how to help Chattanooga succeed. While I cannot endorse a candidate I can say these are traits I desire in my elected official.
"I'm excited about Chattanooga's future. I look forward to continued involvement in the life of our city, government and the Republican Party. But my greatest excitement is reserved for my newest title - dad."