The Election Commission on Wednesday certified a revote on the Elder Mountain deannexation issue, and attorney Chris Clem said he believes that will bring an end to litigation on the issue.
It was another tight vote last week by residents of the small upscale community - 25 to stay in the city of Chattanooga and 24 to be deannexed.
Chancellor Frank Brown, in a 31-page memorandum opinion, earlier voided the Aug. 2 election in which 21 Elder Mountain residents voted for being deannexed from the city of Chattanooga and 20 were against the city pulling out.
Saying there were a number of election irregularities, he set the new vote.
Chancellor Brown said election officials needed to be sure there was proper notice of the election, and he said Marion County and Hamilton County election officials needed to work together to draft a list of eligible voters. The line between the two counties splits the neighborhood - and some houses.
Two weeks after the election, three Elder Mountain residents who opposed being deannexed by the city filed suit. Susan Rich, Janis Burger and Carole Klimesch sued the city, the Election Commission and individual members of the election panel.
In 2004, former Chattanooga Times publisher Ruth Holmberg had petitioned to be annexed into the city because she wanted to participate in city elections. That was granted. However, the current owner of her home did not want to be in the city and have to pay city taxes.