2018 Nashville mayoral special election

The 2018 Nashville mayoral special election took place on May 24, 2018, and elected the mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. David Briley, a Democrat who became interim mayor after the resignation of Megan Barry, won outright without a runoff election.[1]

2018 Nashville mayoral special election

May 24, 2018

Candidate David Briley Carol Swain Erica Gimore Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 44,845 18,850 4,608 Percentage 54.44% 22.89% 5.59%   Candidate Harold M. Love Jr. Ralph Bristol Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 4,349 4,341 Percentage 5.28% 5.27%

Mayor before election David Briley Elected Mayor David Briley

Former Mayor Megan Barry resigned on March 6, 2018, and the Davidson County Election Commission scheduled an election for August 2, 2018 to coincide with the state primary elections, school board elections and the election of several other municipal officials.[2] However, mayoral candidate Ludye Wallace sued on the basis of state law (T.C.A. § 2-14-102[3]) and a 2007 Metropolitan government charter amendment, both requiring an earlier election if the next general metropolitan election was more than twelve months away. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed with Wallace's argument, unanimously ordering a mayoral election between May 21 and May 25.[4]

Early voting was scheduled from May 4 to May 19.[5] The election is officially nonpartisan. If no candidate had won a majority of the vote, a runoff would have been held on June 28 between the top two finishers.[5]

Candidates

Fourteen candidates nominated for the mayoral election. David Briley was the sole candidate in support of Nashville's transit plan, which was decided in a referendum on May 1.[6][7] Nashville voters overwhelmingly rejected the plan, by about a 2–1 margin.[8]

Declared

• Carlin J. Alford
• David Briley
• Ralph Bristol
• Jeff Obafemi Carr
• Julia Clark-Johnson
• Roy Dale
• Erica Gilmore
• Albert Hacker
• David L. Hiland
• Harold Love
• Jeffrey A. Napier
• Jon Sewell
• Carol M. Swain
• Ludye N. Wallace[9]

Results

Election Results
May 24, 2018[10]

Candidate		Votes	%
David Briley		44,845	54.44
Carol M. Swain		18,850	22.89
Erica Gimore		4,608	5.59
Harold M. Love		4,349	5.28
Ralph Bristol		4,341	5.27
Jeff Obafemi Carr		3,790	4.60
David L. Hiland		325	0.39
Ludye N. Wallace		324	0.39
Caril J. Alford		243	0.30
Albert Hacker		169	0.21
Julia Clark-Johnson		168	0.20
Jeffery A. Napier		141	0.17
Jon Sewell		93	0.11
Write-in		122	0.15
Total votes		82,369	100

References

1. Garrison, Joey (May 24, 2018). "Nashville Mayor David Briley wins special mayoral race, avoiding runoff". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
2. Garrison, Joey (March 9, 2018). "Nashville mayoral election set by commission for August, but legal challenge looms". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
3. "2010 Tennessee Code :: Title 2 - Elections :: Chapter 14 - Special Elections :: :: Part 1 - General Provisions :: :: 2-14-102 - Time of holding special election". Justia Law. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
4. Garrison, Joey (April 10, 2018). "Tennessee Supreme Court moves up Nashville mayoral election to May". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
5. Garrison, Joey (April 11, 2018). "Nashville mayoral election now set for May 24". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
6. Garrison, Joey (April 20, 2018). "In Nashville mayor's race, David Briley is all alone with transit push". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
7. Hale, Stephen (April 11, 2018). "Breaking Down the Mayoral Race". Nashville Scene. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
8. Garrison, Joey (May 2, 2018). "Nashville voters overwhelmingly reject transit referendum". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
9. Morris, Chuck (April 5, 2018). "14 candidates vie to be next Nashville mayor". WSMV.com. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
10. "May 24 Election Results (Certified)". Davidson County Election Commission. Retrieved March 17, 2019.