Jackson Police Department Major Phillip Kemper was involved in an incident at the Madison County Election Commission while attempting to pick up a qualifying petition to run for Sheriff of Madison County, at 10 a.m., December 22.

“He came in angry…something was bothering him,” said Lori Lott, Administrator of Elections, “I didn’t know who he was, but the registration date was July 13, 2021.

“He had only been registered five months. I asked him when he moved here.

“He started yelling, and saying ‘Am I going to have to get my attorney down here to get a petition?’ It got out of hand, it was ugly and he was rude.

“I told him ‘You’re not coming in here and talking to me like this.'”

Lott said after she learned he was with the JPD, she reported the incident to the City.

The City declined comment on this story.

“It’s not that we single someone out,” Lott said, “And we did not know he had been placed on administrative leave the day before (December 21) he came to the Election Commission.”

Lott said according to TCA code 8-18-101, you must be a qualified voter of the county, and a resident of the county for one full year prior to the date of the qualifying deadline.

“Every office has different qualifications,” Lott said, “So now you know why I questioned him.”

Kemper, who picked up a petition to run as an Independent, is one of five who have secured a petition to run for the office of Sheriff of Madison County.

Sheriff John Mehr is running for re-election as a Republican.

His competition includes Julian Wiser, Jackson Police Department Chief of Police, who is also running as a Republican; Roger Wood, Republican, and Marc Byrum, a retired 25-year veteran of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, who is running as an Independent.

(PHOTO: Phillip Kemper)