In 1992, the TN State Legislature took the school board elections and made them non partisan. A very active weekly news paper publisher, several elected officials along with Dr. Richard Briggs, Republican candidate for State Senate District Seven support returning to partisan school board elections.
At the North Knox/Ftn City Republican Club meeting on Tuesday night, the three ladies running for Second District School Board were asked about their political leanings. It was stated, we know it is non partisan race but we are a political club. Charlotte Dorsey and Tracie Sanger said Republican, Jamie Rowe said Republican and then qualified it with in some incidents she has voted locally for a Democrat. She mentioned Former Chancellor Daryl Fansler. I thought this was odd, because in 1998, 2006 and 2014, Fansler was unopposed in the Democrat primary, if voting for him in the General election where he was opposed in 1998 and 2014 did not require voting in a Democrat primary. So, there was no reason to declare as a Democrat.
In the spirit of Ronald Reagan’s “trust but verify”. I examined all three voting records.
Charlotte Dorsey first began voting in Knox County in 1982, she voted in 41 elections, 26 Republican primary elections, 1 Democrat state primary on August 5, 1982.
Jamie Rowe first began voting in Knox County in 1988, she has voted in 65 elections, 24 Republican primaries and 4 Democrat primaries. The four Democrat primaries were May 3, 1988 and August 4, 1988 and Mar 10, 1992 Presidential Preference Primary (when Bill Clinton was running in the Primary) and on August 7, 2008. None of the times she voted in the Democrat primaries were when Daryl Fansler was in a Democrat primary.
Tracie Sanger first began voting in 2000, she has voted in 10 elections, 4 Republican primaries and NEVER a Democrat primary.
In the Sixth District School Board election this year, candidate and now School Board Member Terry Hill identified herself throughout the campaign as the ONLY Republican in the race.
There is the review of the records. If partisan political leanings mean anything to you, there are the facts. Early Voting began yesterday and runs through October 30, 2014. Election Day is November 4, 2018.
