Today's the day: candidate petitions due by noon

Anyone who has a hankering to be on the ballot for the general and city elections Nov. 6 must file their petitions with the Wilson County Election Commission by noon today, Thursday, Aug. 16, to qualify for election.

There are several offices up for grabs in the upcoming elections including the Wilson County Commission District 2 seat; Lebanon City Council seats in Wards 1, 2 and 5; ; the mayor's offices in Lebanon, Mt. Juliet and Watertown, Mt. Juliet City Commissioners for Districts 1 and 3, and one at-large Watertown alderman position.

A number of candidates have picked up or filed petitions to enter the various races. For the Wilson County Commission’s District 2 seat Richard L. Moses and Terry Duncan have filed petitions.

In the races for positions on the Lebanon City Council several candidates have filed petitions including Lanny C. Jewell and Richard Rogers in Ward 1, Annette Stafford and Fred Burton in Ward 2, along with Billy Weeks, Jim Mills, Robert Bryan and Romel McMurry in Ward 5.

Stafford is a sitting Wilson County Commissioner, but she feels she has accomplished the goals she set for that job and that she can help the city council. She said that seeing the county get three new high schools and another on the way is among her greatest accomplishments during her time on the county commission.  

"That was one of my main goals was to see a new Lebanon High School and that has been achieved," she said. "With my contacts and the name I've made for myself, I feel like I could help the City of Lebanon."

Stafford also noted that if she is elected to the city council, she will have to give up her seat on the county commission.  

In the contest to be the next mayor of Lebanon incumbent Philip Craighead, David Kievernagel and Robert J. O’Brien have filed petitions. In Mt. Juliet, three candidates have picked up or filed petitions to be city mayor —incumbent Ed Hagerty, Jamie Luffman and Jim Bradshaw. To the surprise of no one, in Watertown, incumbent Mayor Mike Jennings is the only candidate to pick up a petition.

The candidates who have picked up or filed petitions for positions for the Mt. Juliet City Commission are Jonathan Brydalski, Michael A. Gallion, Robert Carver Hibbett, Ray Justice and Robert MacClary in District 1, along with and Art Giles and Britt Linville in District 3.

Brandy Baird-Holcomb and incumbent Aldermen James T. Nix, Jim Amero and Tony Lea have picked up or filed petitions for the at-large seat on the Watertown City Council.

For more information, call the Wilson County Election Commission at 444-0216.

Staff writer Mary Hinds may be reached at 444-3952, ext. 45 or via email at maryhinds@lebanondemocrat.com