Mayoral special election in Nashville, Tennessee (2018)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 17 - Nov. 1
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.[2]
2019 →
← 2015
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| 2018 Nashville elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: April 12, 2018 |
| General election: May 24, 2018 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor |
| Total seats up: 1 |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2018 |
Acting Mayor David Briley won the special mayoral election in Nashville outright by receiving 54 percent of the vote against 12 challengers on May 24, 2018. Conservative television commentator and former Vanderbilt University professor Carol Swain finished second with 23 percent, and at-large councilwoman Erica Gilmore was third with 6 percent.[3]
Briley completed the term of his predecessor, former Mayor Megan Barry, which ended in August 2019. Briley was elected vice mayor in 2015 and became acting mayor in March 2018. Heading into the election, he enjoyed the support of 29 of the city’s 39 Metro Council members, as well as the endorsement of the Nashville Business Coalition.[4][5]
The election was needed to fill the vacancy created when former Mayor Barry resigned on March 6, 2018. Barry pleaded guilty to felony theft charges relating to her affair with the Nashville police officer in charge of her security detail. She agreed to resign as part of her plea agreement on those charges.[6]
A short campaign period and voter fatigue impacted turnout in the special election. Just over 82,000 votes were cast, a 21.6 percent decrease from August 2015, when almost 105,000 ballots were tallied for mayor. Similarly, fewer than 35,000 votes were cast during this election’s early voting period, which concluded on May 19, 2018. By comparison, almost 54,000 early votes were tallied in the previous mayoral election in the city in August 2015.[7][8]
The campaign period was abbreviated because of court proceedings regarding the scheduling of the election. The Davidson County Election Commission originally planned to hold the special election in conjunction with the state’s August 2nd primaries. However, mayoral candidate Ludye Wallace's lawsuit resulted in a mid-April ruling by the Tennessee Supreme Court that ordered the city to hold the special election in late May. The court determined that the city’s charter required that an election be held within 80 days of when the office became vacant.[9][10]
The special election was the second time voters in Nashville participated in a city-wide election in less than a month. City residents defeated a $5.4 billion transit referendum on May 1, 2018. That measure would have raised the city’s business and excise, sales, hotel, and rental car taxes to fund increased bus service, new transit lines, expanded light rail or bus service along the city’s major transportation corridors, and other improvements. The referendum was defeated by a nearly two-to-one margin.[11]
There was also a special election on May 24th for the District 1 seat on Nashville's Metro Council. Jonathan Hall and Judy Cummings finished first and second to lead the five-candidate field. However, since neither candidate received a majority, a runoff election was held on June 28. Hall defeated Cummings in this runoff to win this seat, receiving 58 percent of the vote. This election was necessary to fill the vacancy created when former council member Nick Leonardo was appointed to a county judgeship.[10]
Elections
Candidates and results
General election
Special general election for Mayor of Nashville
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Mayor of Nashville on May 24, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | David Briley (Nonpartisan) | 54.4 | 44,845 | |
| Carol Swain (Nonpartisan) | 22.9 | 18,850 | ||
| Erica Gilmore (Nonpartisan) | 5.6 | 4,608 | ||
| Harold Love (Nonpartisan) | 5.3 | 4,349 | ||
| Ralph Bristol (Nonpartisan) | 5.3 | 4,341 | ||
| Jeff Obafemi Carr (Nonpartisan) | 4.6 | 3,790 | ||
 | David Hiland (Nonpartisan) | 0.4 | 325 | |
| Ludye Wallace (Nonpartisan) | 0.4 | 324 | |
| Carlin Alford (Nonpartisan) | 0.3 | 243 | |
| Albert Hacker (Nonpartisan) | 0.2 | 169 | |
| Julia Clark-Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 0.2 | 168 | ||
| Jeffrey Napier (Nonpartisan) | 0.2 | 141 | ||
| Jon Sewell (Nonpartisan) | 0.1 | 93 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 122 | ||
| Total votes: 82,368 | ||||
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Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Tennessee elections, 2018
Campaign tactics and strategies
Campaign advertisements
David Briley
Support
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Harold Love
Support
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Timeline
- May 17, 2018: All mayoral candidates, except for Ludye Wallace, participated in a debate, focusing largely on the city's budget.[12]
- May 10, 2018: All mayoral candidates, except for Acting Mayor Briley and Ludye Wallace, participated in a forum, which can be viewed here.[13]
- May 2, 2018: All mayoral candidates participated in a televised forum, which can be viewed here.[14]
- April 11, 2018: The Davidson County Election Commission set the date for the special mayoral election on May 24.[10]
- April 10, 2018: The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that Nashville must hold a special election to fill the mayor's vacancy between May 21 and May 25.[15]
Endorsements
| Nashville mayoral candidate endorsements | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Date | Briley | Gilmore | Love |
| Nashville Predators (NHL hockey team)[16] | May 16, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Services Employees International Union Local 205[17] | May 10, 2018 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Nashville at-large councilwoman Sharon Hurt[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville at-large councilman Bob Mendes[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville at-large councilman Jim Shulman[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 3 councilwoman Brenda Haywood[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 6 councilman Brett Withers[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 7 councilman Anthony Davis[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 8 councilwoman Nancy VanReece[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 9 councilman Bill Pridemore[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 10 councilman Doug Pardue[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 11 councilman Larry Hagar[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 13 councilwoman Holly Huezo[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 14 councilman Kevin Rhoten[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 15 councilman Jeff Syracuse[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 16 councilman Mike Freeman[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 17 councilman Colby Sledge[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 18 councilwoman Burkley Allen[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 19 councilman Freddie O'Connell[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 20 councilwoman Mary Carolyn Roberts[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 21 councilman Ed Kindall[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 22 councilwoman Sheri Weiner[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 23 councilwoman Mina Johnson[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 24 councilwoman Kathleen Murphy[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 25 councilman Russ Pulley[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 26 councilman Jeremy Elrod[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 27 councilwoman Davette Blalock[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 28 councilwoman Tanaka Vercher[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 30 councilman Jason Potts[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 31 councilman Fabian Bedne[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville District 35 councilman Dave Rosenberg[5] | April 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||
| Nashville Business Coalition[18] | March 7, 2018 | ✔ | ||
Polling
| Nashville mayor special election | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Poll sponsor | David Briley | Carol Swain | Ralph Bristol | Erica Gilmore | Harold Love | Jeff Obafemi Carr | Don't know/Not sure | Margin of error | Sample size | |||||||||
| Triton Polling & Research (April 12-13, 2018) | The Tennessee Star | 43.4% | 9.3% | 7.6% | 5.5% | 3.8% | 1.5% | 28.9% | +/-4.0 | 607 | |||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Background
On January 31, 2018, Mayor Megan Barry publicly admitted to having an affair with Sgt. Rob Forrest, the police officer in charge of her security detail.[19] A spokesman for the mayor said that Barry did not use taxpayer dollars to support the affair but did admit that she stayed four additional nights beyond what was scheduled in three different cities. The spokesman also said that the city paid for a separate hotel room for the police officer.[20]
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation opened an investigation into whether Barry or others violated laws during the course of the affair. On March 6, 2018, Barry pleaded guilty to charges of felony theft of property amounting to more than $10,000 related to the affair with Forrest. As part of her plea agreement, Barry agreed to resign from office, serve three years probation, and pay the city $11,000 in restitution.[21][22]
In early March 2018, Ludye Wallace, a mayoral candidate, filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court seeking to force the city to hold the special mayoral election in May instead of August.[23] Davidson County Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman dismissed Wallace's lawsuit on March 15, 2018. Wallace's attorneys subsequently filed an emergency motion with the Tennessee Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the local court decision.[24] The supreme court ordered Nashville to set a new special election on April 10. The special election was set for May 24.[25]
Municipal partisanship
Once mayors elected in 2018 assumed office, Democrats held mayorships in 61 of the 100 largest cities in the country. Out of the twenty-five mayoral elections that were held in 2018 in the 100 largest cities, two party changes occurred. In the election in Lexington, Kentucky, Republican Linda Gorton won the seat, replacing former Democratic Mayor Jim Gray. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, Republican Bob Dyer won the seat, replacing former independent Mayor Louis Jones. Click here to learn more.
About the city
- See also: Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is a city in Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. In 1962, the governments of the city of Nashville and Davidson County merged to form the Nashville-Davidson Metro Government. As of 2010, its population was 626,681.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Nashville uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Nashville, Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nashville | Tennessee | |
| Population | 626,681 | 6,346,105 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 503 | 41,237 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 64% | 77.6% |
| Black/African American | 27.1% | 16.8% |
| Asian | 3.6% | 1.8% |
| Native American | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Two or more | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 10.2% | 5.4% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 89.1% | 87.5% |
| College graduation rate | 41.7% | 27.3% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $60,388 | $53,320 |
| Persons below poverty level | 14.9% | 15.2% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
See also
| Nashville, Tennessee | Tennessee | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
- ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
- ↑ Davidson County Election Commission, "May 24 Election Results (Unofficial)," accessed May 25, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessean, "David Briley wins Nashville vice mayor race," August 6, 2015
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 The Tennesseean, "29 Metro Council members endorse David Briley's run for Nashville mayor," April 25, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville Mayor Megan Barry pleads guilty to felony theft," March 6, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville special mayoral election turnout on pace to be one of lowest ever," May 22, 2018
- ↑ Nashville.gov, "August 6 Election Results (Unofficial)," accessed May 19, 2018
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Election Calendar," accessed March 13, 2018
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 The Tennessean, "Nashville mayoral election now set for May 24," April 12, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville voters overwhelmingly reject transit referendum," May 3, 2018
- ↑ Tennessean, "Nashville mayoral candidates debate budget woes, prosperity for all at NOAH forum," May 18, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessee Star, "Nashville Mayoral Candidates, Except Briley, Square Off in Forum," May 11, 2018
- ↑ Tennessean, "Mayoral candidates participate in mayoral forum," May 2, 2018
- ↑ Tennessean, "Tennessee Supreme Court moves up Nashville mayoral election to May," April 10, 2018
- ↑ The Tennesseean, "Nashville Predators endorse David Briley for mayor, setting off debate over sports and politics," May 18, 2018
- ↑ Nashville Post, "Metro union endorses three for mayor," May 10, 2018
- ↑ Nashville Business Journal, "Business group backs Briley for August election, urges others to stay out of race for mayor," March 7, 2018
- ↑ The Tennesseean, "Nashville Mayor Megan Barry admits to extramarital relationship with top police security officer," January 31, 2018
- ↑ The Tennesseean, "Mayor Megan Barry says tax dollars did not support affair, but city paid for officer's hotel on extra days," February 5, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "'There's been no settling down at all': Nashville mayor fights for her political life after admitted affair," February 6, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville Mayor Megan Barry pleads guilty to felony theft," March 6, 2018
- ↑ Tennessean, "Lawsuit: Nashville mayoral election must be in May, not August," March 12, 2018
- ↑ Tennessean, "Plaintiff in Nashville mayoral election case appeals to Tennessee Supreme Court in hopes for May vote," March 16, 2018
- ↑ Tennessean, "Nashville mayoral election now set for May 24," April 11, 2018
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