NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) 18 Republicans in our area have a deadline of Thursday to keep their name on the primary ballot in May.
The Tennessee Republican Party has ruled a total of 149 candidates are “non bona fide” for the election.
The chairman of the party says the list is really just a temporary suspension until the paperwork gets in place.
But that must happen by March 5th.
And the list includes such Republican stalwarts in Hamilton County as Weston Wamp and Bill Hullander.
If they fail to clear their name, they will have to run as independents.
The list includes 16 candidates for County Mayor and a few Sheriff candidates.
Here are the 18 running as Republicans in our area:
Bradley Co. Mayor Bradley Griffith
Bradley Co. Commission Ron Calfee
Bradley Co. Commission Caleb Luzader
Bradley Co. School Board Daniel Stinnett
Bradley Co. Road Superintendent Tom Collins
Meigs Co. Commission Joseph Holden
Meigs Co. Trustee Heather Rogers
Meigs Co. Sheriff Jackie Melton
Bledsoe Co. Commission Tyler Swafford
Bledsoe Co. Clerk Robin Terry
Sequatchie Co. Commission Christopher Cordell
Sequatchie Co. Commission Luiz Armand
Hamilton Co. School Board Thomas Marshall
Hamilton Co. Mayor Weston Wamp
Hamilton Co. Trustee Bill Hullander
Hamilton Co. Criminal Court Clerk Archie Currence
Rhea Co. Trustee Neva Webb
Polk Co. Sheriff Steve Ross
According to the Tennessee Republican bylaws, a bona fide republican is defined as: an individual who a) is actively involved in the Tennessee Republican Party, the county Republican Party of the county in which the individual resides, or a TRP-recognized auxiliary organization, b) is registered to vote in the above-noted county; and c) who has voted in at least three (3) of the four (4) most recent statewide Republican primary elections in which he is eligible to vote.
The primary voting record is what has tripped up many candidates.
It used to be much easier to get off the list, but now it is more difficult.
They now need a majority vote of the State Chairman and SEC members from the candidates district.
