JOHN COFFELT
Editor

August 6 is election day and with it comes many important races for public office, but here are the ones that are particularly interesting to the Times staff.

County Commission District 1

Each seat in all nine County Commission Districts is up for grabs, and while several commissioners are not seeking re-election this go round, District 1 could show the most interesting in recent history with a write-in campaign by Susan Parsley who currently serves on the Manchester Board of Education.

Parsley will have to beat Democratic Party Nominee Amanda LeVieux or incumbent Republican Party Nominee Dowe Jones for one of the district’s two seats.

County Mayor

County Mayor Incumbent Dennis Hunt overcame Republican Party challenger Cheryl Swan for the party nomination but now faces Independent Mark Messick who is stepping away from his role in city government in his bid for county mayor and also faces a relatively quiet Democratic Party Nominee Khamai Rozier.

Manchester Aldermen

The Manchester alderman race could be won by single-digit votes.  Nine candidates are seeking three seats. In the mix are incumbents Thomas Crosslin and Donny Parsley, former alderman Paul Thornton, restaurateur Ben Laine, former Manchester Water Department directors Jeff Perry (who is also seeking County Commission Seat 2) and Dana Douglas, Harold “Rocky” Jones (who is seeking Republican Nomination for US House of Representatives from incumbent Scott DesJarlais) and newcomers Holly McLaren and Kevin Smith. 

Other notable races

The Democratic Party candidates are set to keep County Commission District 7 with incumbent Jackie Duncan and former Commissioner Rosemary Crabtree as the only two candidates on the ballot.  District 5 incumbents Missy DeFord and Tim Morris will face Independent challenger Jenny Davis. District 2 Republican incumbents Roger Chambers and Jeff Perry will face Democratic Nominee Larry Bowen.

The most challenged commission seat is for District 4 where Republican Nominee Mark Brothers and Incumbent Tim Brown will face Democratic Nominee Marlene Genesio and Independents Dan Johnson and Sam Myers.  Seeking to return to the Coffee County School Board for Districts 1,3 and 4 are former members Gary Nester and Brent Parsley who face incumbent Freda K Jones for the two available seats.

County Congressional Offices

Trustee John Marchesoni, Circuit Court Clerk Republican Party Nominee Kelsi Parks Adams and Sheriff Chad Partin running unopposed, while Register of Deeds Donna Toney faces Democratic Nominee Debbie Williams, and in the County Clerk race, Republican Nominee Donna Lowe Spaulding faces Independent Chassity Harris to replace longtime clerk Teresa McFadden who did not seek re-election.