JOHN COFFELTEditor

The Coffee County Republican Party will hold a caucus on at 6 p.m., May 23 at Coffee County Central High School to nominate its candidate to run in the August County Mayoral election.

The event will be open to the public but only registered Republicans will be permitted to vote for a candidate.

County Republican Party President Greg Sandlin said according to state party bylaw, voter eligibility is limited to Coffee County residents that have voted Republican in three out of the last four state or federal primary elections.

“The definition of a bona fide republican is a voter who has voted as a republican in three of the last four state or federal primaries,” Sandlin said. “The only data we look at is March 2024, August 2022 and March and August 2020.”

Voting in county primary races will not count toward eligibility.

Sandlin said that exceptions can include first-time 18-year-old voters, military personnel on deployment and not able to vote during the applicable primaries. Exceptions will granted by a three-person panel.

Sandlin said that in his estimation Interim Mayor Dennis Hunt had been the only voice with serious intent to run.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.