Picking Leaders and Deciding on WIGS

Voters in six cities in Hardeman County will have a chance to vote for their leaders or on issues, while they join the remainder of the county in voting for state and national candidates in the November election.
With the deadline for petitions passing on August 18, the Hardeman County Election Commission can now prepare for early voting on October 19 that will continue through November 3, with Election Day scheduled for November 8.
Two cities will have a mayor to decide upon and one will have to look beyond the candidates who turned in petitions for their leaders.
In Middleton, Mayor Jackie Cox will face opposition with John Henderson running as well. Middleton’s Board of Aldermen will be filled by the six candidates for the six slots.
Silerton is the only municipality that is assured of new leadership at the top as longtime Mayor Bill Mayfield has chosen not to run. Two are vying for the position as Willard Beshires and Michael Vales are running. The five person board of aldermen will be filled by the five candidates running.
In Toone, Mayor Joe Jones is running unopposed, as are the six aldermen who will be on the ballot.
Saulsbury’s Jim Daniel is the only candidate for mayor and the five running for aldermen will fill the five available slots.
Hornsby’s Mack Carter is the only one running for mayor, but with only five running for aldermen and seven spots needed to govern, write-in candidates (or if none are elected as write-ins) or appointees will be necessary to fulfull the town charter’s requirements.
The deadline to register as a certified write-in candidate is noon on September 19 at the Hardeman County Election Commission office located at 106 S. Porter Street in Bolivar.
Voters in Bolivar will have a local reason to go to the polls as well, with a referendum on wine in grocery stores (WIGS) on the ballot.
If passed, the WIGS referendum would allow grocery stores in Bolivar to sell wine. Bolivar is the only municipality in Hardeman County large enough to qualify to have a referendum on the issue, according to Hardeman County Administrator of Elections Amber Moore. A petition with 120 Bolivar residents’ names was submitted that paved the way for the referendum.
In 2014, the WIGS passed in 78 cities and counties across the State of Tennessee. Sales in those areas began in July of this year.
Also on the ballot for Middleton and Toone are questions on urban growth or annexation of property to expand the city limits for each city.