Supporter of Republican county commission candidate tries to knock independent off ballot

Allie Feinberg, Knoxville News Sentinel
Updated ·5 min read

A supporter of Republican county commission candidate Andy Fox is trying to knock the independent candidate out of the race by challenging nomination signatures, including one from the independent's wife.

Martin Ammons, who is backing Fox, challenged the nomination signatures for independent Stacey Bryan Smith. There are three candidates in the 9th District race: Fox, Smith and Democrat Matthew Park.

In order to run for the commission, candidates need 25 signatures from residents in their district. Smith turned in 33 signatures and the Knox County Election Commission approved 27 in December.

Ammons is challenging 18 signatures for several reasons, including claims that signees' names don't match their registrations and they don't live in Knox County.

"For someone to think that I had to come up with erroneous names or change names is absolutely ridiculous," Smith told Knox News. He said he compiled signatures from friends and family in the county he's known his whole life.

One of the signatures Ammons is challenging belongs to Smith's wife. Ammons argues the petition doesn't match her voter registration due to a difference in her signature.

"The information that was submitted to me (about the challenge) is from where she signed her original voter registration 34 years ago," Smith said, adding that it's common for signatures to change over time.

The Knox County Election Commission held a preliminary meeting May 16 to discuss the challenge. Park and Smith were both there, but neither Ammons nor Fox attended the meeting. They'll meet again at 5:30 p.m. June 7 to hear arguments from Ammons and Smith.

Both parties will be able to submit evidence and call witnesses. Evidence will be shared with parties and election commissioners by May 24. That could include affidavits by Smith's signees or in-person testimony.

The June 7 meeting will look a lot like a civil court trial. Ammons and Smith will present opening statements, present evidence, answer commissioners' questions and present closing statements.

Challenge is coming from Andy Fox's supporters

Smith has historically participated in Republican politics, voting in Republican primaries since 1994. He told Knox News in December he's running as an independent because he has problems with the Republican and Democratic party establishments. They don't listen to the community, he said.

Park, the Democratic candidate, is widely considered to be a strong contender in part because of his strong first quarter financial haul. Knox County Republican Chair Buddy Burkhardt called the challenge a savvy move on Ammons' part because Smith could theoretically take votes from Fox.

Though he never donated to Fox's campaign, Ammons signed Fox's primary nominating petition. In a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, consultant Eric Wiatr named Ammons as part of Fox's campaign team.

Wiatr, a paid consultant to Fox's campaign, is responsible for several political action committees, including Scruffy Little City, whose treasurer is Chrissey Stephens. Stephens also is the treasurer for Fox's campaign.

Elections Administrator Chris Davis said Wiatr hand-delivered Ammons' challenge to the election commission's office.

First Knox County ballot challenge in years

Cliff Rodgers, who served as elections administrator as a Republican from 2011-2020, told Knox News he's never seen this type of challenge. The only challenge he oversaw was in 2012 to a candidate's address, not of voters' signatures.

"This has never happened before," he told Knox News. "I just hope it doesn't get to be another, 'This is what we do.' ... I hope it's dealt with quickly and I hope that all 27 (of Smith's approved) signatures count because I just want the whole process to be pure."

Rodgers left the Republican party in 2021.

It's so unusual that the commission is holding a meeting just to determine the rules for this type of challenge.

Once the rules are set, Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins will attend the hearing June 7.

Goins has presided over other signature challenges this year, including the Davidson County Election Commission's hearing of a challenge to Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones' ballot qualifications. Davidson County dismissed the signature challenge from Jones' Republican opponent, who did not provide any expert witness testimony beyond pointing out perceived inconsistencies in handwriting and signature styles.

Burkhardt said he has confidence in the election commission's ability to approve signatures.

"(Knox County election officials) have always been straight up, on point," Burkhardt said. "They're about accurate and clean elections ... I think it's interesting that they filed a challenge."

How do election officials approve signatures?

When a voter signs a candidate's nominating petition, they must include their name and address.

Election officials approve nominating signatures based on three factors: registration status, signature comparison and address comparison.

The state provides the Knox County election commission with guidance for approving addresses and signatures.

Signatures

  • While the voter must sign the petition, the name and address may be written by another individual.

  • The law requires that a person's regular signature must be accepted just as a person's legal signature would be accepted.

  • If a voter signed their name on their permanent voter registration record, a printed name on a petition can be accepted if the printed name provides sufficient evidence that it's been written by the voter in question.

Addresses

  • If the address on a petition differs from an address from voter registration but is in the same precinct and political jurisdiction, it counts.

  • If the address doesn't include an apartment number, it counts.

Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnewsws.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: County commission candidate backer tries to kick independent off ballot