The May 1 primary elections that were held in 57 Tennessee counties mainly involved selecting general election candidates for county positions like mayor and county commissioner. Several counties also had judicial nominees on the ballot as a result of vacancies or temporary appointments that had been made to the bench following retirement, illness or death.
The winners of these primaries will go on to appear on their respective county general election ballots on August 2. In instances where a position attracted only candidates from one political party, the winner of the May 1 primary will run unopposed in August. Judges in Tennessee serve eight-year terms. Winners in August will sit on the bench until the next statewide judicial election in 2022.
Here are the results from May 1 judicial primary elections across the state:
Circuit Court Judge Part II District 2 – This district serves Sullivan County. Gov. Bill Haslam appointed William K. Rogers to one of two judgeships on the 2nd Judicial District Circuit Court in June 2017 to fill a vacancy resulting from the retirement of Judge R. Jerry Beck. Judge Rogers ran as a Republican with no Democratic opposition.
William K. Rogers (Republican) – 10, 482 votes – 100%
Circuit Court Judge Part I District 4 - This district serves Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier Counties. There were two Republican candidates running for one of four seats on the 4th Judicial District Circuit Court. Judge Carter Moore is the incumbent, having been appointed to the seat in October 2017 following the retirement of Judge Ben W. Hooper II. There were no Democratic candidates.
Carter S. Moore (Republican) – 17,832 votes – 69.64%
Lu Ann (Hatcher) Ballew (Republican) – 7,774 votes – 30.36%
Circuit Court Judge Part II District 4 - This district serves Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier Counties. Judge Jim Gass was appointed on a temporary basis as a special judge to one of four seats on the 4th Judicial District Circuit Court in October 2017 due to the illness of Judge Richard R. Vance. Judge Vance died in December 2017, and Judge Gass was appointed to serve in the position until the next general election. Judge Gass ran unopposed in the Republican primary. There were no Democratic candidates.
Jim Gass (Republican) – 20,501 votes – 100%
Circuit Court Judge Division IV District 11 – This district serves Hamilton County. Judge Kyle E. Hedrick was appointed to one of four seats on the 11th Judicial District Circuit Court in December 2017 following the retirement of Judge W. Neil Thomas III. Catherine “Cate” White also ran as in the Republican primary.
Kyle E. Hedrick (Republican) – 7,937 votes – 64.78%
Catherine “Cate” White (Republican) – 4,315 votes – 35.22%
Circuit Court Judge Division III District 16 – This district serves Cannon and Rutherford Counties. In November 2017, Gov. Haslam appointed Judge Barry Tidwell to one of four seats on the 16th Judicial District Circuit Court following the death of Judge M. Keith Siskin several months earlier. Judge Tidwell was joined by Nathan S. Nichols in the Republican primary. There were no Democratic candidates.
Barry R. Tidwell (Republican) – 10,377 votes – 70%
Nathan S. Nichols (Republican) – 4,447 votes – 30%
General Sessions Judge Part II District 16 – This district serves Cannon and Rutherford Counties. Judge Ben E. Bennett ran unopposed for this seat. He was appointed to this court earlier this year following Judge Barry Tidwell’s appointment to the 16th Judicial District Circuit Court.
Ben E. Bennett (Republican) – 11,764 votes – 100%
General Sessions Judge Division II District 18 – This district serves Sumner County. Judge David Howard was appointed to a seat on this court in December 2017 following the retirement of Judge Barry Brown. He faced Debrah Frizzell in the Republican primary. There were no Democratic candidates.
David R. Howard (Republican) – 7,156 votes – 57.89%
Debrah K. Frizzell (Republican) – 5,198 votes – 42.05%
Circuit Court Judge Division II District 20 – This district serves Davidson County. Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton is the incumbent in this race, having been appointed to one of eight seats on the 20th Judicial District Circuit Court in November 2017 after the retirement of Judge J. Randall Wyatt. She was opposed in the Democratic primary by Joy Smith Kimbrough. There were no Republican candidates.
Angie Blackshear Dalton (Democrat) – 36,846 votes – 54.39%
Joy Smith Kimbrough (Democrat) – 30,904 votes – 45.61%
Chancellor, Chancery Court District 20 – This district serves Davidson County. There were three candidates in the Democratic primary for one of four seats on the 20th Judicial District Chancery Court. The seat is open because Chancellor William E. (Bill) Young decided against running again. There were no Republican candidates.
Anne C. Martin (Democrat) – 32,018 votes – 47.06%
Joy M. Sims (Democrat) – 22,247 votes – 32.7%
Scott Tift (Democrat) – 13,604 votes – 19.99%
General Sessions Judge Division III District 20 – There were four candidates in the Democratic primary for this, one of 11 positions on the 20th Judicial District General Sessions Court. The opening in this division came following Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton’s appointment to the 20th Judicial District Circuit Court. There were no Republican candidates.
Ana L. Escobar (Democrat) – 30,764 votes – 44.87%
Sheryl Guinn (Democrat) – 18,155 votes – 24.48%
Nick Leonardo (Democrat) – 16,048 votes – 23.41%
Newton S. Holiday, III (Democrat) – 3,484 votes – 5.08%
General Sessions Judge Division 10 District 20 – There were four candidates in the Democratic primary for the position on this division of the 20th Judicial District General Sessions Court. This seat opened up following the resignation of Judge Casey Moreland. There were no Republican candidates.
Sam Coleman (Democrat) – 21,822 votes – 32.04%
Joyce Grimes Safley (Democrat) – 19,610 votes – 28.80%
Frank Mondelli, Sr. (Democrat) – 14,332 votes – 21.05%
Tillman Payne (Democrat) – 12,208 votes – 17.93%
