posted May 18, 2004
Voters will have a choice of "Combat" and "Super T" in the August election.
The Election Commission on Tuesday night agreed to allow two candidates to include their nicknames on the ballot.
They include Walt "Combat" Ward, who is running for the state Senate and Kenneth "Super T" Simpson, who is a contender for the District 4 County School Board seat.
Election Administrator Fran Dzik said Mr. Ward wanted his name listed as W.C. Ward. He is in the race for the seat long held by Ward Crutchfield.
Ms. Dzik said that was not allowed because his real name is Walt David Ward. But she said Walt "Combat" Ward is OK. Mr. Ward is a karate instructor.
On the Simpson matter, she said, "Everybody knows him as 'Super T.' There would probably be some confusion if we just had Kenneth on there."
Commissioner Mike Walden voted against allowing the nicknames.
On another matter, election officials said they recently learned that former administrator Carolyn Jackson had signed an annual contract with the Chattanooga Times Free Press setting rates for election ads.
She said the contract included payment of a yearly fee even if there is not a certain amount of advertising.
Ms. Dzik said she wanted to cancel the contract, and commissioners approved the action.
Commissioners questioned the rates charged by the newspaper for election ads, but Ms. Dzik said state law requires publication in the newspaper.
She said the Hamilton County Herald qualifies as a newspaper of general circulation, though she said many people are not acquainted with it.
Two commissioners said they had never seen a copy of the Herald.
Ms. Dzik said she has been in talks with the owner of the Herald, who lives in Oklahoma, about a rate for running the election ads.
The commission approved setting up a separate precinct at Summit since it is now a "split precinct" with mostly county voters but a handful of city voters."
Ms. Dzik said the city part is mainly the landfill, but does include about five households.
She said in split precincts there is confusion when there is an issue that affects one government but not both.
Jerry Summers, commission attorney, reported that Rosetta Tipton had dropped a lawsuit she filed after she was dismissed from her job at the election office.
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