The $50 wheel  tax vote was probably the catalyst that was responsible for the higher than normal turnout. And boy, did the tax get knocked down. Unlike the sales tax vote in February, not even the lake side residents in Tellico Village voted for the wheel tax. In fact all fourteen precincts voted down the tax by overwhelming percentages. The table below shows the percentages of voters in each precincts who opposed the tax.

In the other hot ballot question, Lenoir City Mayor, Matt Brookshire, wanted the voters to give him the keys to the city check book. Not going to happen. The Lenoir City voters kicked Brookshire's you know what. The measure was defeated by an 80% margin.

In the contest that was closest to my heart, my son Austin Shaver edged out William Jenkins by a vote of 513 to 422. I can not explain just how excited I am that Austin will be on the commission. Not just because he is my son, but because I know what kind of a man he is and what kind of job he will do.

In the school board races, the voters almost made a clean sweep. First district incumbent, Bill Marcus, narrowly defeated challenger Wendy Baustian by 78 votes, 540 to 462. Incumbent Scott Newman was unopposed, came in with 763 votes but had an under vote of 30% meaning thirty percent of the first district voters who went to the polls didn't vote for him.

The biggest upset of the day was in the third district where Lisa Russell upended incumbent Larry Bass. Russell toped Bass by a two to one margin, 359 to 210.
 

Over in the fifth district, the incumbents faired no better with both loosing their bids for reelection. In seat "A" incumbent Freddie Gene Walker faced two challengers. Gary Ubben came out on top of the three man race, 47%, with Walker second followed in third place by Chris Clabough. Ubben 671, Walker 558, Clabough 200.

Seat "B" incumbent, June Klinstiver lost to me by a vote of 794 to 657.

In a real squeaker in the seventy district, Craig Simon eased by incumbent Nancy Paule by just 19 votes, 496 to 477.

The results of this election show several important things. The voters don't want any more taxes, they don't trust Lenoir City officials and they are expecting some big changes from the school board. It also sets up another possibility for the November election.

With the office of the treasurer/recorder remaining an elected position, it looks likely that Bobby Johnson Jr. will be the next treasurer. Johnson is the only candidate that has currently qualified to run for the office. Anyone wishing to be a candidate in the November Lenoir City election for mayor, council or treasurer/recorder has until noon, August 21st to file their petition with the Loudon County Election Commission.

On to November.