Charter change & Council runoffs: Understanding the election results
With typical low turnout, voters reelected Mayor Tim Kelly and voted in three incumbent and four new City Council representatives. Two City Council seats will go to a runoff.
On March 4, Chattanooga voters hit the polls to choose the mayor and their City Council representatives.
See all the results and candidates’ vote totals here, and read below for an election summary.
Mayor Kelly reelected
With 85% of the vote, incumbent mayor Tim Kelly’s margin of victory was by far the largest of any contested race in yesterday’s city election, earning him four more years in office.
Kelly gathered 17,356 votes in total to his opponent Chris Long’s 2,750.
City employees can now live out-of-state
Over two-thirds of voters approved amending the city charter to allow city employees to live outside of Tennessee. The change will take immediate effect.
Learn more about the charter amendment here.
Runoffs ahead
In Districts 6 and 8, none of the candidates seeking office earned a majority of votes. The two highest vote-getters now must compete in a runoff election set for April 8.
- District 6: Jenni Berz, who City Council appointed in January to fill the seat left vacant by the death of her mother Carol Berz, took home 47% of the vote. Berz will compete against newcomer Christian Siler in an April runoff. Siler received just eight more votes than the candidate placing third.
- District 8: Incumbent Marvene Noel came even closer to a majority with nearly 49% of the vote. Anna Golladay followed at 22%, and voters will choose between Noel and Golladay in next month’s runoff.
Incumbent winners
- District 1: Chip Henderson won reelection to a fourth term on City Council, earning about 1,200 more votes than his opponent Skip Burnette.
- District 2: Jenny Hill, who ran unopposed, will return to the Council dais.
- District 7: Raquetta Dotley also retained her Council seat in a noncompetitive race.
New faces on City Council
- District 3: Both newcomers, Jeff Davis beat Tom Marshall in the closest March 4 contest, winning by 149 votes. Davis will replace current councilman, Ken Smith, who did not seek reelection.
- District 4: Cody Harvey will fill the seat left by outgoing Council member Darrin Ledford. Harvey ran unopposed.
- District 5: Dennis Clark unseated incumbent Isiah Hester with 57% of the District 5 vote. Four year ago, Clark lost to Hester in close runoff race.
- District 9: Ron Elliott cleared the second-largest margin of any contested Council race, taking the District 9 seat with over 70% of votes. Elliott replaces Demetrus Coonrod, who did not seek reelection.
Turnout low but typical
Yesterday’s 18% turnout rate was lower than the 25% of registered voters who cast their ballots in the 2021 Chattanooga election. However, it’s closer to voting numbers in the past two local contests — 20% and 16% in 2017 and 2013, respectively.
How the April 8 runoffs will work
Just like in the March 4 election, only registered voters who live in the districts holding the runoff can participate. Only two candidates will appear on those ballots, and whoever gets the most votes wins.
What’s next?
The mayor and City Council members will assume office on April 14 and begin their four-year terms.
Contact William at william@chattamatters.com
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