The new Sumner County Commission was sworn in last week amid controversy. They had to decide how to handle a tie vote for District 13’s commission race. The process resulted in commissioners, not the citizens, choosing the district’s representative.
Once Democrat Brenda Dotson and Republican Terri Boyt tied in the race to represent a portion of Gallatin, the commission had two options: send the race to a runoff, or hand pick one of the two women.
There was a packed crowd at last week’s meeting when the choice was made. More than 20 residents spoke during public comments, most in favor of a runoff. Hendersonville resident Jason Baggett was one of them.
“A lot of you campaigned on working for the people. There is nothing more serving of the people that you can do than to let them choose their representative,” Baggett said.
However, not all citizens who spoke at the meeting supported the idea of a runoff. Kevin Bagert of Portland said elected officials are there to make tough choices.
“Our constitution guarantees us a republican form of government. We don’t vote as a democracy on every little thing that comes up,” Bagert said. “We have representatives that we’ve elected to do this.”
Gallatin resident Ally Corzine, a teacher, told commissioners not having a runoff would contradict the message she tells her students about how voting works.
“‘When you’re old enough, you’ll have the power to vote and make things be the way you want. Maybe not the way I want but the way that you want,'” Corzine said. “So, they’re watching. Don’t show them that they don’t have power.”
Ultimately, commissioners decided against a runoff and chose to seat Boyt over Dotson — denying voters in District 13 a say in who would represent them during the next four years.
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