In county government there is a stark reality at the end of every debate. The commission is a 10 member body which means it takes 6 votes to pass anything. Currently only three commissioners have voted to fund the building program. This means three more votes are needed.

As chance would have it, all ten commission seats are up for reelection in May. Three commissioners are running unopposed and will retain their seat for another four year term. 1 current commissioner is not running for reelection. 6 current commissioners will have opposition for their seats.

2nd district, seat "B" commissioner Austin Shaver, 3rd district commissioner Bob Franke and 7th district commissioner Don Miller are unopposed. Shaver and Franke voted for the building program. Miller voted no. 5th district seat "B" commissioner Chris Park is not running for re-election.  The remaining 6 commissioners all will have opposition. 5 of them voted not to fund the school building program.

Both 1st district commissioners, Nancy Marcus and David Meers voted NO on the building program. Both face opposition in the May primary. Marcus' seat "A" will face three challengers, William Culvahouse, Brian Jenkins, Kevin Walker in the primary and with no democrats or independents in the race, the winner of the republican primary will be the commissioner for the next four years.

Meer's seat "B" will be challenged by independent, Sarah Dailey. This seat will not be decided till the August general election.

2nd district seat "A" commissioner Earlena Maples, democrat, who also voted NO on the building program will face two opponents. Republican Frank Hahn and independent Daryl Miller. This election will not be decided till the August election. 

4th district commissioner Roy Bledsoe who also voted NO on the building program will face two opponents.  Gregory Hackney and Mike Newman, are both running in the republican primary against Bledsoe. The winner of this race in the republican primary will be the commissioner for the next four years. 

5th District seat "A" commissioner, Harold Duff who did vote for the building program, will face fellow republican Teresa Karimian in the primary. The winner will face independent Robert Dishner in August.

With Park's decision not to seek re-election it's a fact that there will be at least one new commissioner come September 1st. Voters in the 5th district have four candidates seeking to fill Park's vacated seat "B". Bart Howell, Kenneth Shockley and Sharon Yarbrough will compete in the May 4th primary and the winner will face independent candidate, Pat Hunter in the August general election. Park was a NO vote on the school building program.

6th district commissioner, Wayne Gardin a democrat, who also voted NO on the building program will face the winner of the republican primary. Steve Harrleson and Dennis Moldenhauer will face off in the primary with the winner facing Gardin in the August general election.

Now, before anyone goes running for the hills claiming that I'm trying to get anyone elected or defeated, let me make this clear. Where ever you as a voter stand on the school building program these candidates could hold the key to whether new schools are built or not. You as a voter what ever your position should seek out these candidates to find out what their position will be on the school building program.

Doubtless, Loudon County will face numerous challenges over the next few years but none as far reaching or as impacting on the county as the school building program. Remember the reality. 6 votes to pass. The decision is yours.