Three Charged in Bluff City Election Investigation by TBI

TBI Press Release:

JOHNSON CITY – An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in three Bluff City residents being charged with violating an election law.

On June 19^th, at the request of 2^nd District Attorney General Barry Staubus, TBI Special Agents began investigating reports of election law violations that occurred during the May 2017 municipal election in Bluff City. During the course of the investigation, Agents determined that John R. Harrison (DOB 9/30/62), Sherry Grubb (DOB 7/14/59), and Brooke Morrell (DOB 11/6/87) entered a polling place during voting hours for reasons other than casting a vote or assisting another voter.

This week, a criminal summons was issued charging Harrison, Grubb, and Morrell with one count of Election Law Violation. Today, all three individuals were served on those charges.

News reports indicate Harrison is a Bluff City alderman and Grubb is a County Commissioner for Sullivan Co. The charges are related to the May 2017 Bluff City election.

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November Ballot includes municipal elections in Crab Orchard and Pleasant Hill

November 8 ballots for Crab Orchard and Pleasant Hill residents will include races for Crab Orchard mayor and 2 seats on the Pleasant Hill council.  Three candidates qualified for Crab Orchard Mayor but only one qualified for the Pleasant Hill race.

Candidates qualified for Crab Orchard's mayoral race include:

1) Michael Findley
2) Emmett H. Sherrill
3) Willard Sherrill

The one candidate for Pleasant Hill town council is Lisa Patrick.  Linda Smith took out papers but they were not returned by the deadline.

The additional seat could either be filled by town council action or possibly a write in candidate.

Five candidates now qualified for two Crossville city council slots

And then there were five:

Two city council seats are up for election on the November 8 ballot and the deadline for candidates to qualify is August 18 at noon.

Candidates who have qualified as of July 5, 2016 include:

1) J. H. Graham, former mayor and councilman
2) Robert E. Rob Harrison, 
3) Terri L. Manning
4) Jeanette W. Parsons
5) Scot Shanks

Additional potential candidates who have taken out petitions but not turned them in yet include:

1) Barry Field (Field actually lives outside of the city limits and appears to be ineligible to run.)  
2) Jesse Kerley, currently holding one of the council seats up for election
3) Jack E. Miller, former Crossville city manager

Candidates who qualify do have a week after the August deadline to remove thier name form consideration if they choose to do so.

Latest on the upcoming Crossville city election—Possible New Candidates

Three new qualifying petitions have been signed out by possible candidates to run for Crossville city council in the upcoming November 8 election. Also, one additional petition has been turned back in.

New potential candidates who have taken out petitions include Robert E. Rob Harrison, long-time local Crossville businessman who runs Plateau Properties, Scot Shanks, another long time Crossville businessman and former owner of L. P. Shanks. The third candidate is Jack E. Miller, former city manager and interim city manager who lives in Holiday Hills.

Another candidate, Jeanette Parsons has turned her petition back in, bringing to 3 the number of petitions returned to the election commission. The other candidates who have turned papers back in include former Mayor J. H. Graham and Teri Manning.

Petitions previously taken out but not yet returned include incumbent councilman Jesse Kerley, and Barry Field. While Field took out papers, he does not qualify as a city resident and is likely not elligible to run for a council seat.

In the race for Mayor of Crab Orchard, Michael Findley and Emmett Sherrill have taken out qualifying papers and Mr. Sherrill the incumbent has turned his back in.

The deadline to turn in qualifying papers for the November election is August 18 at noon.   

Many may not realize that signatures on election petitions become public records.

When you sign an official election petition, whether it is in support of a candidate getting their name on the ballot or in support of the recall efforts currently going on in the city of Crossville, those petitions and your name and address information become public records once those petitions are turned in to the election commission.

Many people may not realize that their information can be seen by others when they sign these forms. These documents become public records in order to keep the process open and transparent.

The local election office explained that anyone who inspects or gets copies of these documents must give their name for a request to see them and that also becomes public record as well.   

Terri Neal Manning comments on her run for Crossville city council seat

One of the candidates who has taken out a petition to run for Crossville city council in the November 8 election is Terri Neal Manning. We contacted her through Facebook for her comments.

As a female candidate she seems to be following in the footsteps of current council member Pamala Harris.

Statement from Terri Neal Manning, candidate for Crossville city council:

“I would commit to all citizens of Crossville to do just that knowledge is the key to any successful councilman.

City government should try to work together towards common goals which would benefit all citizens of Crossville. Decisions will be made based on what will be in the best interest citizens as a whole not just one.

I want to be their voice to stand up for all the citizens of Crossville that is why i am running for city councilman.

Thank you, Terri Neal Manning”

We asked for Terri's suggestion for keeping the council meetings more calmer and she responded that the council should, “listen to each other, talk it out and be truthful.” She added part of her reason for running for office was “I always wanted to help people.”