The November 8th Election has come and gone, and while the predicted red wave didn’t materialize nationally, the Republican Party dominated locally and throughout the State of Tennessee. The Election Day turnout was stronger than expected, though not as big as 2018 or 2020.
A total of 5,225 people voted Tuesday in DeKalb County, including 3,076 on Election Day, 1,993 during the walk-in early voting, and 156 by absentee, with 39.62 percent of the 13,189 registered voters participating. A total of 4,794 people voted in August including 2,214 on Election Day and 2,357 during early voting.
DeKalb County’s own Michael Hale was elected as the new State Representative of the 40th District, defeating DeKalb Democratic challenger Tom Cook district wide. Hale received 4,286 votes in DeKalb County, while Cook gained 729. Hale won all 12 precincts as well as the early voting and absentee totals.
Hale won the district with 14,852 votes to 2,956 for Cook. Hale claimed Cannon 3,055 to 624, DeKalb 4,286 to 729, Jackson 2,530 to 613, Smith 4,311 to 856, and a section of Wilson 667 to 136. He will take over duties from 14-year veteran Terri Lynn Weaver who Hale defeated in the August primary.
Results by precinct are as follows:
Early voting and Absentee combined: Hale - 1,702, Cook - 348
Alexandria: Hale - 348, Cook - 39
Temperance Hall: Hale - 140, Cook - 20
Liberty: Hale - 267, Cook - 53
Snow Hill: Hale - 139, Cook - 19
Church of God: Hale - 294, Cook - 40
Courthouse: Hale - 278, Cook - 56
Rock Castle: Hale - 78, Cook - 16
Johnson Chapel: Hale - 160, Cook - 26
County Complex: Hale - 227, Cook - 25
Keltonburg: Hale - 240, Cook - 29
Blue Springs: Hale - 152, Cook - 24
Church of Christ Annex: Hale - 261, Cook – 34
Unopposed Republican Lane Ball won election to fill the 4th District Constable position getting 695 votes. Ball will fill a vacancy after the death of Constable Paul Cantrell in June 2021. All seven constable positions in DeKalb County, including the 4th District, will be up for election in 2024.
Incumbent Tennessee Governor Bill Lee won his bid for re-election Tuesday by beating Democratic challenger Jason Brantley Martin. Lee carried all 12 precincts in DeKalb as well as the early voting. Statewide, Lee won with 1,128,097 votes to Martin’s 572,153. In DeKalb County, Lee won 4,118 to 911 for Martin.
Results by precinct are as follows:
Early voting and absentee combined: Lee 1,625, Martin 444
Alexandria: Lee - 334, Martin - 59
Temperance Hall: Lee - 134, Martin - 21
Liberty: Lee - 268, Martin - 53
Snow Hill: Lee - 132, Martin - 31
Church of God: Lee - 281, Martin - 55
Rock Castle: Lee - 76, Martin - 19
Courthouse: Lee - 264, Martin - 62
Johnson Chapel: Lee - 168, Martin - 21
County Complex: Lee - 212, Martin - 34
Keltonburg: Lee - 234, Martin - 38
Blue Springs: Lee - 154, Martin - 23
Church of Christ: Lee - 236, Martin - 51
Independent candidates for Governor are as follows:
Constance M. Every - 26
John Gentry - 47
Basil Marceaux - 8
Charles Van Morgan - 9
Alfred O’Neil - 1
Deborah Rouse - 10
Michael E. Scantland - 2
Rick Tyler - 4
Write-In - 4
Republican U.S. Representative John Rose defeated Democrat Randal Cooper in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District race, winning his third term. He will represent the newly drawn 6th Congressional District, which now includes parts of East Nashville and Donelson. Rose carried all 12 precincts in DeKalb as well as early voting, winning with 3,897 votes to 902 for Cooper. District wide Rose won 129,311 to 65,598.
Results by precinct are as follows:
Early voting and Absentee combined: Rose - 1,517, Cooper – 431
Alexandria: Rose-326, Cooper-53
Temperance Hall: Rose- 135, Cooper-24
Liberty: Rose- 256, Cooper-56
Snow Hill: Rose- 128, Cooper-23
Church of God: Rose- 269, Cooper-54
Rock Castle: Rose- 79, Cooper-17
Courthouse: Rose- 247, Cooper-70
Johnson Chapel: Rose- 159, Cooper-25
County Complex: Rose- 197, Cooper-38
Keltonburg: Rose- 217, Cooper-37
Blue Springs: Rose- 141, Cooper-27
Church of Christ Annex: Rose- 261, Cooper-47
Four constitutional amendments were also approved on Election Day, each receiving an overwhelming majority of the vote.
Amendment 1 received 3,269 yes votes to 1,319, which makes it unlawful for any person, corporation, association, or this state or its political subdivisions to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person by reason of the person's membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.
Amendment 2 was approved 2,888 to 1,217, which deals with the temporary exercise of the powers and duties of the governor by the Speaker of the Senate-or the Speaker of the House if there is no Speaker of the Senate in office-when the governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor.
Amendment 3 won 3,240 to 1,122 making slavery and involuntary servitude forever prohibited. Nothing in this section shall prohibit an inmate from working when the inmate has been duly convicted of a crime.
Amendment 4 was approved 2,751 to 1,508. This amendment deletes article IX, section 1 of the Tennessee Constitution, which prohibits ministers of the gospel and priests of any denomination from holding a seat in either House of the legislature.
