Aikens Keller Mayors

Aikens took the mayor's post with 865 votes or 51.4%. Former Loudon County sheriff, Joe Sims came second with 621 votes or 36.9%. Gary Aikens placed third with 197 votes or 11.71%.

The council will see at least one new face. Jim Shields will be joining re-elected councilmen, Buddy Hines and Mike Henline. Hines being the top vote getter will be vice mayor.

One of the new mayor and council's job will be to fill the vacant seat by Aikens move to mayor.

In the Lenoir City School Board race, incumbents Rosemary Quillen and Bobby Johnson Sr. both won their bids for re-election.

Loudon also has a new mayor. Judy Mcgill Keller bested the other two candidates to win the seat. Keller received 481 votes or 38.85%. Doug Lyle got 385 votes or 31.1% and former councilman Charlie Garner got 372 votes or 30.05%.

Loudon council will also have two new faces. Jimmy Parks and Judy Sampson Jones will join re-elected incumbents Lynn Millsaps and Mike Cartwright.

In the sixth district school board race, Ric Best came out on top in the three man race to take the seat.

Though Greenback mayor Tom Peeler was unopposed in his re-election bid, the Greenback council will have two new members. New comers' Becky Andrews and Dewayne Birchfield will join re-elected incumbents Sam Jackson and Polly Evans on the council.

The Loudon County Election Commission is scheduled to certify the election results on November 16th. After the certification all the newly elected officials can be sworn in to their respective positions.

New mayors elected in Lenoir City, Loudon

News Herald

More than 15,500 voters showed up at the polls Tuesday to elect new leaders in Lenoir City, Loudon, Greenback and the state.

Tony Aikens was the winner in the Lenoir City mayors race. In Loudon Judy McGill Keller was the victor. Greenback's mayor Tom Peeler ran unopposed.

Aikens won the race for mayor with 865 votes, beating former Loudon County Sheriff Joe Sims, who took in 621 votes. "It's been a dirty campaign," Tony Aikens said. Gary Aikens received 197 votes for Lenoir City mayor.

"I feel great," Tony Aikens said after the results were read at the Loudon County Election Commission office. "I look forward to serving the citizens of Lenoir City for the next two years ."

Aikens identified several projects he hopes to see continued progress on in the coming years as the economy strengthens. "I believe together we can continue to move forward with the Creekwood project given the fact that the economy is improving and the Town Creek project as well."

He also said he is going to work hard to reduce the water and sewer rates in the city and is looking forward to working with the members of city council.

Three seats were up for election on the Lenoir City Council. They were won by Douglas "Buddy" Hines who took in 919 votes, Mike Henline with 724 votes and James "Jim" Shields who received 704 votes.

Keller took in 481 votes for mayor of the City of Loudon, compared to 385 for Doug Lyle and 372 for Lewis "Charlie Brown" Garner. "I am very excited and obviously pleased," Keller said. "It seems like it's been a long campaign."

Keller has been actively involved in Loudon's downtown redevelopment and said she plans to continue those efforts now that she has been elected mayor. "I want to see things continue with the way they are going in our downtown," she said.

Also elected in Loudon were Lynn Millsaps with 654 votes, Jimmy Parks with 597 votes, Judy Sampson Jones with 471 votes and Michael Catwright with 457 votes.

In Greenback Mayor Tom Peeler received 180 votes in his unopposed reelection. Elected to Aldermen positions in the city were Samuel Jackson with 155 votes, Polly evans and Becky Andrews, who ach received 138 votes and Dewayne Birchfield who received 137 votes.

Administrator of elections Susan Harrison said she feels the election cycle has been successful and appreciated the work of the election staff and candidates.

Those comments were echoed by Mary Sue Jordan, chairman of the elcetion commission. "The volunteers were awesome," Jordan said. "If it wasn't for the people who give their time and energy every election cycle, it wouldn't happen."

The ballot also included two seats on the Lenior City Board of Education, which went to Rosemary Hines Quillen with 1,209 votes and Bobby Johnson Sr. with 938 votes.

One county position was on the ballot also. The 6th district school board seat was won by Ric Best who pulled in 723 votes.