Rush Of Candidates Pick Up Qualifying Petitions For Major County Election Next Year

A host of politicians anxious to get going on next year's big county election were at the election office early Monday morning. 

It was the first day candidates could pick up for the election, which includes county mayor, County Commission, the judges and constitutional offices. 

Matt Hullander, Sabrena Smedley and Weston Wamp, county mayor contenders, were among the first to show up. All three are running for the post being vacated by Jim Coppinger. 

Austin Garrett, candidate to replace Sheriff Jim Hammond, also was in line.

A number of longtime county officials want to return for another term. Among those at the office early were County Clerk Bill Knowles, Circuit Court Clerk Larry Henry, Trustee Bill Hullander, Register of Deeds Marc Gravitt, Juvenile Judge Rob Philyaw, Circuit Judge JB Bennett, Juvenile Court Clerk Gary Behler, Matt Hulander, as well as Chancellor Jeff Atherton

This is the list of candidates who have picked up papers: 

County Mayor
Matt Hullander (R)
Sebrena Smedley (R)
Weston Wamp (R)

County Commission 
District 1 - Randy Fairbanks (R)
District 1 - Hubert Shipley, Jr. (R)
District 1 - Stacy Swallows (R)
District 2 - Chip Baker (R)
District 3 - Greg Martin (R)
District 5 - Greg Beck (D)
District 8 - Tucker McClendon (R)
District 9 - Steve Highlander (R)
District 10 - Jeffrey Eversole (R)
District 10 - Dean Moorhouse (R)
District 11 - Joseph Graham (R)
District 11 - Sean Nix (D)

School Board
District 8 - Sandy Norris Smith (D)
District 9 - Gary Kuehn (R)
District 11 - Virginia Anne Manson (R)

Sheriff
Austin Garrett (R)

Circuit Court Judge 
Division 1 - J B Bennett (R)
Division 2 - Mike Dumitru (R)
Division 2 - Jim Exum (R)
Division 3 - Marie Williams (R)
Division 4 - Kyle Hedrick (R)

Criminal Court Judge
Division 1 - Barry Steelman (R)
Division 3 - Amanda Dunn (R)
Division 3 - Boyd Patterson (R)

Chattanooga Judge
Division 1 - Sherry Paty

Juvenile Court Judge 
Robert Philyaw (R)

County Clerk 
Bill Knowles (R)
George Ryan Love (D)

Juvenile Court Clerk 
Gary Behler (R) 

Chancellor
Part 1 - Pam McNutt Fleenor (R)
Part 2 - Jeffrey Atherton (R)

Circuit Court Clerk 
Larry Henry (R)

Register of Deeds 
Marc Gravitt (R)

District Attorney
Neal Pinkston (R)
Coty Wamp (R)

County Trustee
Bill Hullander (R)