A week ago yesterday, the Knox County Election Commission began handing out qualifying petitions for the positions that are up for election next year. The petitions are not due back into the election commission until February 15, 2018 at NOON. The Primary Election is May 1, 2018.
With the Knox County Commission
Third District Commissioner Randy Smith discusses Knox County.
District 3 currently held by Randy Smith is up for grabs. Smith is planning to run for re-election, having served one term. Young Downtown businessman Cody Biggs has picked up a petition to challenge for the position in August 2018 as Biggs is running as a Democrat. He serves on the Knox County Democrat Party Board of Governors as the Third District Governor.
District 7 currently held by Charles Busler is up for grabs. Busler is planning to run for re-election, having served one term. No one has picked up a petition yet. Steve Hart has appointed a Treasurer in September 2017, so Busler has an opponent raising money and the petition could be picked up in February as long as 25 District 7 registered voters sign the petition and it is turned in by NOON February 15, 2018.
Knox County Commission at Large Bob Thomas at a East Knoxville Community Meeting
Seat 10 currently held by Bob Thomas is up for grabs. Thomas has been running for Knox County Mayor since May 2016. There are a couple of candidates today. Larsen Jay from West Knoxville has picked up and returned his petition. Ron Rochelle from the Town of Farragut has named a Treasurer and has been making the Republican club circuit. William Stone has picked up a petition to run as a Democrat. Stone had appeared at a Town Hall East Forum to challenge for the Second District Knoxville City Council position this year. But he did not run for that position.
Knox County Commissioner at Large Ed Brantley at a Republican Club Meeting
Seat 11 currently held by Ed Brantley is up for grabs. Brantley sold his property in Hardin Valley to a developer/builder company and is rumored to have purchased property in another county. Justin Biggs is running as is former two term County Commissioner Robert Lawrence Smith as Republicans. Vivian Underwood Shipe is running as a Democrat.
Justin Biggs, his wife Heather, their daughter Lilly and son Caden after getting his qualifying petition.
Biggs made news in May 2016 when he and his wife were married on ABC’s Good Morning America. They were the first couple from the group that married that morning to have a baby. Biggs is the Collections Administrator for the Knox County Trustee, his wife owns a West Knoxville hair salon.
Justin Biggs getting his petition from the Knox County Election Commission
Biggs filing out the paperwork
