LYNCHBURG — Back in November, the Metro Council voted to add a sales tax measure to the March Presidential Primary ballot that sought to increase local sales tax .25 percent from 9.5 percent to the state maximum of 9.75 percent. And on Super Tuesday, Moore County voters responded with a resounding, “no.”
As all five precincts reported late Tuesday evening, 378 voted in favor of the sales tax and 590 voted against the increase.
Urban District and Ordinance Reading Amendments pass
Two other local ballot initiatives passed by a narrow margin. Local voters agreed to change the Metro Charter as it relates to the Urban District. For those who don’t already know, that district sits in the footprint of the former Lynchburg city limits, prior to Lynchburg and Moore County consolidating to a Metropolitan in 1988.
Previously the three Metro Council members from District 1 (which overlaps the Urban District) with the highest vote counts, were automatically named to the Urban Council. The ballot measure changed that language to allow the Metro Mayor to appoint three persons residing within that district to the Urban Council. That charter amendment passed by 18 votes with 470 voting in favor and 452 voting against.
A second charter amendment affecting Metro Council procedures revolving around the number of separate readings required by the Council to change or amend any ordinance was also passed. Previously, ordinances required three separate readings and the amendment reduces that number to just two.
During the November meeting, Mayor Stewart and members of the Budget Committee supported this change to prevent timing crunches around budget season. State numbers for Metro budget often don’t arrive until May and with a looming June 30 deadline from the State Comptroller’s office to submit a final budget, local elected officials regularly found themselves in a time crunch that often required a special session. According to local officials, reducing the number of readings would still allow for a public comment period while streamlining the process.
Charter Amendment 2 passed by a 34 vote margin with 479 voting for the measure and 445 voting against it.
Presidential Primary Results
Joe Biden was the clear winner of the Democratic presidential primary with 83 votes. Four democratic voters hit the uncommitted button and there was one write in vote.
On the Republican side, Donald Trump was the winner with 747 votes with Nikki Haley being the next highest vote getter with 119. Ron DeSantis receives 13 votes. Other votes were as follows: Chris Christie (2), Asa Hutchinson (1), Vivek Ramaswamy (3) and David Stuckenberg (1).
State wide Donald Trump won with 77.3 percent of the votes followed by Nikki Hayley with 19.5 percent. DeSantis earned just 1.4 percent.
The top 14 vote getters for Republican Delegates both Committed and Uncommitted at Large for Presidential election were: Chad Blackburn (470), Dennis H. Beavers (423), Calvin Rogers Clayton (422), Max Bonner (415), Barbara Boswell (410), Sharon B. Anderson (369), Kelly Barger (364), Marilyn Betz (345), Julia Atchley-Pace (330), Abigail Arpin (324), Steven Tyler Giorno (320), Jacyln Colbeth (291), Rick Williams (291) and Gloria A. Giorno (280).
Top three vote getters for Republican Delegates both Committed and Uncommitted for the 4th Congressional District were: Lynne Davis (314), Kip Capley (300), and Jeffery W. Dillard (299).
In total there were 1,004 local voters who participated in Super Tuesday with 514 turning out at the polls and another 447 early voting. There were 43 absentee voters. That’s a pretty low voter turnout. According to Administer of Election Jim Sanders, there are 5,432 total registered voters in Moore County. That means that our county had a voter turnout of around 18.5 percent. As always, these vote totals are unofficial until certified by Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett.•
{The Lynchburg Times is the only locally-owned and locally-operated newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. It’s published by a native and current resident with over 20 years of journalism experience. If you’d like to support local folks writing local stories about local people, please consider subscribing, by clicking here.}