Scott Emge, who ran a successful primary campaign to oppose term-limited Register of Deeds Steve Hall in the general election, has issued a press release calling the term limits ruling "a victory for Knox County voters."

Scott also says "One thing that I’m afraid of is that these positions will be filled with cronies, friends or family members through backroom deals rather than people who legally qualified, ran campaigns, and received thousands of votes from the people of Knox County."

Scott argues that the candidates who received the second highest number of votes in the last general election should be appointed to fill the vacancies until an election can be held.

That's an interesting argument, given that the Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that their term-limited opponents are not qualified to hold office, raising the question as to whether they were qualified to be on the ballot in the first place. The ruling does not explicitly say it is retroactive to election day, but I suppose one could argue that it is.

Read the full text of Scott Emge's press release after the jump.

Register of Deeds Candidate Asks County Commission “Don’t Disenfranchise Knox County Voters”.

Scott Emge, last year’s candidate for Knox County Register of Deeds, said that the recent ruling handed down from the State Supreme Court was a victory for Knox County voters.

“This ruling also vindicates me and all the other candidates who campaigned last year on the term limits issue”. He goes on to say, “The courts’ ruling was fair and just. A special election is the best way to fill the vacancies long term and should be carried out during the 2008 election cycle. In the meantime, Knox County Commission is required by law to fill those vacancies as quickly as possible”. Emge says “One thing that I’m afraid of is that these positions will be filled with cronies, friends or family members through backroom deals rather than people who legally qualified, ran campaigns, and received thousands of votes from the people of Knox County.

The Knox County Commission should follow the State Supreme Court’s example and let the will of the voters rule in choosing the replacements for the vacancies. Candidates who ran against these ousted office holders and received the next highest vote totals from the general election should be chosen to fill the slots. 15,332 voters chose me for Register of Deeds, 23,134 folks chose Randy Tyree for Sheriff, 3,458 chose Tom Salter for 5th Dist C, 2,591 wanted Elaine Davis for 4rth Dist. B, 780 for Amy Broyles 2nd Dist. A, 682 for Nick Della Volpe 1st Dist. A, among others. With all due respect to the county commission, all these votes total a lot more than any the commission can cast, and if they ignore these numbers they will be disenfranchising tens of thousands of Knox County Voters” Emge said.

There have been valid concerns expressed by some on the county commission that hourly employees that work hard every day in the fee offices might lose their jobs. “It would be not only wrong but ridiculous to let any of these hard working folks go. They are the ones doing all of the work in these offices and making sure that things get done. I know I wouldn’t fire anyone in the Register’s office who is doing the county’s work” Emge said.