***EDITOR’S NOTE: The paperwork obtained by the Elizabethton Star on Thursday, Feb. 15, from the Carter County Election Commission contained some errors regarding party affiliations for some candidates. The Election Commission has since issued an updated and corrected list which fixes the errors. The Elizabethton Star regrets that the incorrect information was passed along to readers. The information has been corrected in the story below.

When the clock struck noon at the Carter County Election Commission, a total of 77 candidates had qualified for the upcoming county elections.

On May 1, Carter County voters will head to the polls to make their voices heard in the Republican and Democratic Party Primary Elections. Featured on the ballot will be the following county offices: Mayor, Sheriff, County Clerk, Trustee, Register of Deeds, Circuit Court Clerk, Road Superintendent, three County Commissioners for each of the county’s eight districts, and two Constables for each of the county’s eight districts. Individuals running for office who are not seeking the endorsement of either the Carter County Republican Party or Carter County Democratic Party will run as Independent candidates and will appear on the August General Election ballot.

According to Carter County Administrator of Elections Tracy Harris, while several candidates applied and qualified as Republican or Independent candidates, no candidates picked up paperwork or qualified to appear on the ballot for the Democratic Primary in May.

Candidates seeking office had until noon on Thursday to return their petitions and qualify for the election. Candidates who qualified will have until Feb. 22 to withdraw from the election. The Carter County Election Commission will meet at 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 26, to set the official ballot and appoint poll workers for the May primary.

The Election Commission is currently accepting applications for poll workers according to Harris. Anyone interested in becoming a poll worker is asked to contact the Election Commission at 423-542-1822 or by email at elections@cartercountytn.gov.

Listed below are the individuals who qualified as Republican candidates for the May 1 Primary Election and as Independent candidates in the August General Election. The winners of the Republican Party Primary will move on to the August General Election where they will face off against any Independent candidates who qualified for the same race.

• Carter County Mayor

Four candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Rusty Barnett, Leon Humphrey, Larry Shell, and Danny Ward. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

• Carter County Sheriff

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Rocky Croy and Dexter Lunceford. One Independent candidate qualified to run for this office — Steve Stevenson. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

• County Clerk

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Mary Gouge, Patsy Lewis, and Bruce Pierce. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

• Trustee

One candidate qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Randall Lewis. One candidate qualified to run as an Independent candidate for this office — Walter F. Andrews. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

• Register of Deeds

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Jarred “J” Ellis, Jessica Markland, and Adam Townsend. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

• Circuit Court Clerk

One candidate qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Johnny Blankenship. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

• Road

Superintendent

One candidate qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Roger Colbaugh. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

Carter County

Commission

(3 seats per district)

1st District

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Robert “Bob” Acuff, Steven M. Blevins, Willie Campbell, and Steve Stenstream. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

2nd District

Six candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Nancy Brown, Derrick Guinn, Mike Hill, Al Meehan, and Patty Woodby. One Independent candidate qualified to run for this office — James Boone. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

3rd District

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Phillip Brumit, Brad Johnson, and Ronnie Trivette. One candidate qualified to run as an Independent candidate for this office — Charles D. VonCannon. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

4th District

Four candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Isaiah Grindstaff, Austin Jaynes, Jerry Proffitt, and Michael Roberts. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

5th District

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Ross Garland, Ginger Holdren, and Layla Ward. Two candidates qualified to run as an Independent candidate for this office — Kevin Arnold and Edward Jordan. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

6th District

Four candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Gary Bailey, Donnie Cable, Travis Hill, and Randall Jenkins. One candidate qualified to run as an Independent candidate for this office — John G. Lewis. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

7th District

Two candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Sonja Culler and Aaron Frazier. One candidate qualified to run as an Independent candidate for this office — Ray Lyons. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

8th District

Four candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Myles Cook, Robin McKamey, Cody McQueen, and Rick Q. Richardson. One candidate qualified to run as an Independent candidate for this office — Kelly Collins. No Democratic candidates filed for this office.

Carter County

Constable

(2 positions per district)

1st District

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Gary Perry, Larry Perry, and Ronald Reed. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

2nd District

Seven candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Paul Birchfield, Barney Brown, Julie Guinn, Leonard Johnson, Brian Keener, DeWayne Sabisch, and John Thompson. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

3rd District

Three candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Scotty Hall, Jerry Miller, and Scott Whaley. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

4th District

Four candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Jason Jones, Roger Lunceford, Bryan Russell, and Harvey Shaffer. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

5th District

Two candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Mark Carrier and Larry Presnell. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

6th District

Two candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — John Henson and Bobby D. Trivette. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

7th District

Two candidates qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Gabriel “Seth” Babb and Ken Potter. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.

8th District

One candidate qualified to run in the Republican Primary for this office — Dave Ryan. No Independent or Democratic candidates filed for this office.