Ten more people pick up qualifying petitiions.

by Rod Williams, 5-11-2019 - Since last week, ten more people have picked up qualifying petitions and time is running short. There are no districts where no one has picked up a petition but there are several where only one person has picked up a petition. Several incumbents who I would like to see defeated have no opposition.

There is still time to run. One may pick up a qualifying petition up until the deadline for turning in qualifying petitions which is noon May 16th. It only takes the name of 25 voters to qualify. One can get that many names in one evening, if you also purchase a voter registration list so you are only knocking on the doors of registered voters. Almost anyone will sign a qualifying petition if you explain they are simply signing to allow your name to be on the ballot. If you are at all interested in running, get qualified. If you then find that someone else who you could support is running or someone else is too formidable for you to beat is running, you could simply not turn in the petition. Once a qualifying petition is submitted and the petition is approved, then a candidate may withdraw his name up until noon May 23rd. Please, if you know someone who lives in one of those districts with a liberal council member and no challenger or only one candidate and know the person to be liberal, please run yourself or encourage someone to run. At this point, a sensible liberal who is concerned about Metro's debt, which is the highest per capita in the nation, would be an improvement over some of the progressive candidates who are running.

In the race for council-at-large, there are now fifteen candidates running for the five seats. I plan on voting for Steve Glover only. One may vote for up to five candidates but to do so weakens the influence of your vote. You may think of it like this; voting for only one candidate is almost the equivalent of casting five votes for that candidate.  There are some other candidates who are not bad, but if conservatives split there vote and chose five, no conservatives will win an at-large seat.

You will notice that in addition to circling in red those I would like to see elected, I have struck through the names of people I would like to see defeated. In District 5 Pam Murray is running. She was formerly a member of the Council.  She does not need to be reelected.  I don't have a preferred candidate in the race but know I would like to see Pam Murray defeated.

In District 7 there are  nine candidates and I know nothing about any of them. In District 8 I do not know Danny Williams but would like to see Nancy VanReese replaced. 

 
In District 16, I am supporting Paul King and I know nothing about him but anyone would be better  than Genny Welsch. She is left-wing activist and a founding member of the low-power left-wing radio station Radio Free Nashville.  Welsch is often seen at left wing protest gatherings advocating the liberal cause of the moment.

In District  19, I do not know Nick Johnson but know I would like to see Freddie O'Connell replaced.

Notice that in District 23 the incumbent council member, Mina Johnson, has picked up a qualifying petition. While I did not  see a statement from her that she was not running, people had told me she was not seeking reelection. That was either wrong information or she changed her mind. A good candidate, Thom Druffel is seeking that seat.

In District 30 I do not know Ruben Ford. I know Sherry Jones. She was a member of the Council in the 80's and then served several terms in the state legislature. She is very liberal. I do not want to see her regain a council seat. I have learned something about Sandra Sepulveda. She is Hispanic and she is running an identity politics campaign saying vote for me because I am Hispanic.  I would not like a candidate whose message was vote for me because I am white any more than I like a candidates whose message is vote for me because I am gay, or female, or Black or Hispanic. I would not want to see Sepulveda elected.  I am supporting Lydia Hubbell.

Below is the list of those who have picked up qualifying petitions to run for the office of mayor, vice mayor, at-large and district council seats as of Friday, May 10. The names highlighted in yellow are people who have appointed a campaign treasure but have not yet picked up a petition.  Circled are the names of those I would vote for if these were the only choices and I knew only what I know today, the elections were today and I could vote in that contest. My selections are preliminary. I may be changing my mind, depending on who else gets in the race or as I learn more about the candidates.

If you are a candidate running for office, please send me your press releases.  Email me at Rodwilliams47@yahoo.com.

 

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