-Joe Sills (@joesills)
February 13, 2014
The Haywood County Election Commission met Thursday evening in the county courthouse and set a date for a special referendum election to decide the proposed Brownsville/Haywood County Metropolitan Government.
The date for the special election is May 6, 2014.
The referendum joins a previously scheduled Democratic Judicial Primary on May 6th, for which there are, so far, no qualifying candidates. Administer of Elections Andrea Smothers says that even though all of the judicial candidates registered as independents, “The county is still required to fund an election on May 6 even though we have no candidates.”
With an ongoing but presently vacant election already happening on the date, the Election Commission opted to schedule the special election. The qualifying deadline for the Judicial Primary is next Thursday.
State law requires special elections to be held between 80 to 100 days from the date the Election Commission receives a charter. The Brownsville Haywood County Metro Charter was filed February 11.
Voters in Brownsville and Haywood County will decide whether to enact a charter, which merges the now separate city and county governments.
Residents of the town of Stanton will vote on two issues—whether or not to approve the metro charter, and whether or not Stanton should be included in the metro government.
Boundaries change in Brownsville
The Election Commission also voted to re-zone sections of Wards One and Three along Thomas Street. That area will affect approximately 15 registered voters, who will receive notifications and new registration cards in the mail.
