Rutherford County political parties have agreed to forego a primary election next May in order to save money.
County Mayor Ernest Burgess asked that the parties use caucuses instead of primaries, which would save the county the cost of putting on an election. The general election will still be in August and determine six county officers including mayor, sheriff and trustee.
The county’s Democratic Party chair Jonathon Fagan says primaries are preferable to caucuses, but he says there was no need to spend $100,000 on a primary since turnout is typically – in his words – “pitifully low.” Fagan says he’d prefer the county spend the money on other budget items.
“We would rather take care of it ourselves than have to cut four jobs out of the county budget.”
Rutherford County Republicans also agreed to use caucuses instead of primaries. GOP county chair Rick Womick says none of the races is even contested.
“We saw no reason, since there was not going to be any contenders, to waste money on a primary.”
The Secretary of State overseas elections, but a spokesman says the office isn’t tracking what other counties might be cancelling primaries as a way to save money.
Many local governments in Tennessee hold non-partisan elections, which have no primaries.
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