Ballard? Or a special election?

Blount Dems need to be on top of this.

How convenient that he just now figured that out.

P.S. Seems to me if the winning candidate was not qualified then the qualified candidate with the next highest number of votes should get the job.

have happened had Gregg Lonas been elected, I guess the Knox County Demo's knew he wouldn't be able to serve so they chose correctly in rejecting Lonas.

Since it was illegal for Carter to run, couldn't someone challenge the election results? If I were the losing candidate, I do believe I would.

Statement from David Ballard received via email:

Let me be up front by saying that this is no surprise to anyone that had direct involvement in my campaign for the commission seat vacated this morning by Shawn Carter, Sr.. I refused to let knowledge of the Hatch Act violation be a part of my campaign for re-election. I chose to run on my record as a commissioner because I felt that it reflected a very fair and balanced representation of all my constituents.

With the results of the August 5th election it was obvious that the citizens of District 1 felt differently and I can accept that.

The issue here is with the local Republican Party, Election Commission, Blount Today, The Daily Times, and the candidate himself. They all knew that he was in violation of the Hatch Act for at least as far back as the May primary.

It is a simple question to ask: “Are you an employee of the US Postal Service?”

I take exception to former Chairman Steve Samples comment in the Daily Times the morning after the election about the lies and twisted things being said about the Republican candidates by the other side. The lies were told and covered by one side and one side only and that was the Republican side. Enough said.

The county now has a 21-seat commission full of Republicans. That is what the people of this county voted for, that is what they should get. Appointing an Independent or perhaps myself to serve on that seat is not what the people of this district voted for so find somebody else to fill it until the next election.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the local blogging communities for providing an outlet to the local readers that are interested in finding some decent news about their community. They don’t get that from the local print media.

It was such a simple question to ask.

Sincerely,

David G. Ballard, Jr.

Melton elected Chair Sept 1 at 11 AM Special Meeting at the conclusion of the meeting Carter resigned

Breeding is a Republican; this is determined by the majority in the Legislature - Senate I believe

I may be wrong about Libby's party affiliation but she has only held this office for 4 years
Becky Wheeler a democrat vacated the office 4 years ago when the state senate became majority R Here is where the party of the head election person is determined
I suppose if a county wanted to go with another party they could I really don't know but I can't imagine BC doing this

The state election coordinator was a Democrat up until the 2008 elections. I believe almost every (every?) county election administrator was a Democrat up until then.

All I know about the hatch act would fill a twitter tweet. I just know my Dad, a federal employee wouldn't let any candidate put a yard sign in his yard, stating it would be a hatch act violation. I don't know if it would or wouldn't be, but I sure do enjoy putting signs in my yard now.

Kime

Putting signs in your yard is NOT a Hatch Act violation (although it used to be before they eased the rules - sometime between 1982 and 1996 cause I was at TVA when it happened). Running for a non-partisan office (e.g. Knoxville mayor or city council) isn't a Hatch Act Violation.

Running for a partisan political office is the very definition of a Hatch Act violation - and in this case the candidate, the local Republican party, the local Democratic party, and the local election commission all had to know it. The fact that it was allowed to happen speaks poorly of all these entities.

What would it have really looked like if the BCDP or any candidate questioned the right of a person to run for office?

Too perfectly orchestrated. Question remains: who is the conductor?

Everyone keeps pointing fingers at Carter (or Ballard). The responsibility for ensuring a democratic process falls to those charged with said responsibility:

2-19-114. Illegal act by official causing loss of ballots or invalidating election. —

An election official or member of a board or commission holding office under this title commits a Class E felony if such person intentionally fails to do any official act required by law or does any illegal act, in relation to any election by which act or omission the votes taken at the election in any precinct are lost, or the electors thereof deprived of their suffrage at such election, or if such person intentionally does any act which renders such election void.

[Acts 1972, ch. 740, § 1; T.C.A., § 2-1914; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 2001, ch. 465, § 10; 2006, ch. 903, § 4.]

The Maryville Daily Times reports that Blount Dems have requested a federal investigation.