In a narrow finish, challenger Graham Stowe defeated incumbent Melissa Greene to become the next Giles County Executive in the Aug. 4 County General Election.
Greene, who was seeking a second term, had 2,787 votes to Stowe’s 2,995.
The result showed the ability of Republicans to vote as a block since Stowe was endorsed by that party, while Greene ran as an independent.
Some 5,966 votes were cast in the election, with most, 3,042, in early voting.
Greene also advocated passage of the sales and tax use referendum. An increase in the local option sales tax referendum in part of the county outside the city of Pulaski would have led to more money for the Giles County schools.
Pulaski residents already are paying the higher rate.
The referendum failed 2,621-1,626.
Greene was a county commissioner before her election as county executive.in 2018. She and her family live in District 5.
Stowe is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard and has a civil engineering background. He and his family live on a Campbellsville farm. Before running for county executive, he was chairman of the Giles County Election Commission.
More new faces will be on the 21 member Giles County Commission. Each of the seven districts has three commissioners elected to four year terms.
District 1 County Commission
Newcomer James Lathrop, who had served on the Elkton Board of Mayor and Aldermen, was the top vote-getter with 390 votes. Incumbent commissioners Erin Curry had 285 votes and Joyce Woodard Morgan 277 respectively.
Lathrop ran as a Republican, the others as independents.
District 2
Newcomer Terry Jones led with 572 votes, followed by incumbents David Wamble with 411 votes and Tracy Wilburn, 386. All were elected.
Also receiving votes were: attorney Thomas J. Dancison Jr., 311; incumbent Stoney Jackson 277, Harold Young 151.
Jones and Wamble ran as Republicans and Wilburn, also Minor Hill mayor, as an independent.
District 3
Incumbent Tim Risner led with 462 votes and was re-elected. Annelle Peters Guthrie had 414 votes and incumbent David Adams had 355 votes in their successful bids.
Morgan Flowers had 289 votes, Tammy Pierchoski 266 and incumbent Mike Cesarini 186 votes.
Risner and Adams ran as independents, Guthrie as a Republican.
District 4
Newcomer Caleb Savage was the top vote getter with 575 votes, followed by Matthew Hopkins with 427 and incumbent Roger Reedy with 422.
Reedy ran as an independent, while Savage and Hopkins ran as Republicans.
Chris McCartney, another Republican had 354 votes, while independents George L. Witt had 397 and incumbent Dune Jones 340.
District 5
Incumbent Brad Butler, running as a Republican, led all District 5 candidates with 471 votes, while incumbent Gayle Jones had 444 and Matt Rubelsky, a third Republican, had 429 and were elected.
Incumbent Tommy Pollard finished fourth, with 409 votes, followed by former commissioner Lois Harwell Aymett with 335, Katie Whitfield, 293 and Bobby J. Morgan 61. All ran as independents.
District 6
Independents swept the top three positions in District 6 with Evan Baddour getting 401 votes, and incumbents Joseph Sutton 277 and Rose Yvonne Brown 256 .to be elected.
Republicans Phil Glover and Mayur Patel had 199 and 132 votes respectively.
District 7
Incumbent Judy Pruett led the commissioners races with 434 votes, followed by former commissioner Shelly Goolsby with 359 and Maurice Woodard with 313 to be elected.
Republican Michael Harmon had 256 votes, incumbent Terry Harwell 244 and Jeff Adams 218. Harrwell ran as an independent and Adams as a Republican.
County Offices
Trustee: Tony Risner had 3,398 votes to 1,993 for Carlie Eubank. Incumbent Janice Curtis did not seek re-election.
General Sessions Judge
Incumbent Robert C. (Chip) Richardson had 4,520 votes.
Sheriff
Incumbent Kyle Helton received 4,407 of 5,811 votes cast, running as an independent. John Mitchell, running as a Republican, gained 1,394 votes.
The sheriff’s race drew the most votes of any in the election.
Circuit Court Clerk
Natalie Bass Oakley, an independent, had 4,657 votes.
County Clerk
Incumbent Carol Wade, running as an independent, received 4,607 votes 1,077 for Leigh Rena Brymer.
Register of Deeds
Incumbent Tammy Helton, running as an independent, received 4,999 votes.
School Board
District 1
Independent Chris McAlister edged incumbent Jim Stewart, a Republican, 296-293.
Stewart claimed the election day vote 130-124, while McAlister won the write-in vote 168-162.
McAllister won four of five absentee votes.
District 3
In District 3, independent Le Ann Gordon won 422-393 over Republican Dale Berry.
District 4
To fill an unexpired term, independent Gary (Scooter) Sumners had 546 votes to 474 for Derek Rowe. Summers’ term in office will continue until the next General Election when School Board Districts 2 and 6 will be filled.
District 5
Republican Richie Brewer was unopposed with 833 votes.
District 7
Independent Knox Vanderpool ran unopposed and received 640 votes.
State Races
Republican Primary
Governor
Incumbent Republican Bill Lee was unopposed and had 3,596 votes.
U.S. House of Representatives
Giles County will move into the Fourth District, represented by Scott Desjarlais, after the Nov.. 8 election.
Desjarlais was unopposed in the Republican Primary and gained 3,354 votes.
State House of Representatives
State Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, was unopposed and gained 3,737 votes in the 70th District race.
District 28 State Executive Committeewoman
Incumbent Angie McClanahan carried Giles County with 2,115 votes to 717 for Julie Quan,
No candidate qualified for State Executive Committeeman.
Democratic Primary
Governor
Jason Brantley carried Giles County in his quest to be his party’s nominee for governor with 496 votes to 264 for Carmita Faye Atwater and 208 for J.B. Smiley, Jr.
No Democrat qualified for the State House of Representatives 70th District race.
U.S. House of Representatives
Wayne Steele, Fayetteville, carried Giles County with 575 votes to 289 for Arnold J. White, Smyrna.
District 28 State Executive Committeeman
Seth James Campbell had more votes, 587, than incumbent Gregory D. Hanners, 260.
District 28 State Executive Committeewoman
Vicki S. Hale, who was unopposed, had 804 votes.
Judicial Races
District 22 District Attorney General
Incumbent Republican Brent Cooper received 4,090 votes and ran unopposed.
District 22 Public Defender
Incumbent Republican Travis Jones ran unopposed and received 3,894 votes.
District 22 Circuit Court Judge Part 1
Incumbent Republican David L. Allen ran unopposed and gained 4,055 votes.
District 22 Circuit Court Judge Part 2
John Russell (Russ) Parkes received 3,934 votes, running as an incumbent Republican.
District 22 Circuit Court Judge Part 3
Incumbent Republican Christopher V. (Chris) Sockwell had 3,649 votes to 1,144 for Lee Brooks, running as an independent.
District 22, Circuit Judge Part IV
Republican Caleb Bayless won Giles County with 3,333 votes. Independent Stacie Odeneal received 1,300 votes to 430 for another independent, Sammy Patterson.
Court of Criminal Appeals, Middle District
Bob Holloway, former District 22 Circuit Judge, was retained to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Middle District, with 3,006 votes from Giles County. He ran as an independent.
City Races
Elkton
No candidate qualified to run for mayor. Incumbent Bill J. Cary received 71 votes for alderman, and Ryan Gilland got 55 votes.
Lynnville
Independent Floyd Pratt was elected alderman with 36 votes. No other candidates qualified to run for two other aldermanic positions.
Minor Hill
Incumbent Tracy Wilburn received 99 votes, and Bill Sacharnoski was elected to fill an unexpired term with 68 votes.
No candidates qualified to fill two aldermanic terms.
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