With all 12 of Rhea County’s precincts reporting, native son Ron Travis (R-Dayton) won another two-year term in the Tennessee House of Representatives over newcomer Brittany Warfel of Spencer.
Rep. Travis garnered 11,821 votes to Ms. Warfel’s 1,799. Independent candidate William :Jay” Jenkins received 180 votes.
The majority of Rep. Travis’ tally, some 7,916 votes, came in early balloting.
Rhea County had a total of 14,527 votes cast with 9,787 coming in early voting.
Some 4,840 people showed up at the polls Tuesday.
Rep. Travis collected 25,402 votes district wide with 6,157 coming out of Sequatchie, 5,121 from Bledsoe and 2,303 from Van Buren. Ms. Warfel managed 4,090 votes.
When reached by phone at his residence, Rep. Travis said he was humbled by the response from his constituents in the district.
“I really enjoy going out and meeting people in the District and attending functions in those counties,” said Rep. Travis.
Ms. Warfel, who campaigned as a mother for change, could not be reached for comment.
“A lot of our polls were steady all day long. We didn’t have any problems at all,” said Felicia Goodman, Administrator of Elections. "We have a great staff of election workers and a great election commission that is very helpful and hands on. And I really thank our poll workers who are out there on the front line."
Rhea County came close to setting a record of the total number of persons voting in an election with 14,527 of the 22,339 voters coming out in either early voting or the polls on election day.
"We were busy all day long changing addresses and changing names of voters," said Assistant Administrator of Elections Amy Birdsong.
Besides the state and Federal offices, the city of Graysville also had a municipal election. Long time Mayor Charles Kaylor was defeated by William “Bill” Crawley by 234 votes to 166.
Mayor Kaylor, who has served some 20 years on the council, has been the mayor for the past four years.
Graysville citizens also elected four commissioners to fill the board. Jimmy “Jimbo” Miles received the highest vote amongst the six candidates for commissi