Nashville’s Runoff Election: Mayoral Candidates Face Off as Early Voting Begins
Early voting has commenced in Nashville for key positions following the August 3 election where mayoral candidates and several district candidates failed to secure over 50% of the votes. In light of this, a runoff election has been triggered, with the two candidates for mayor going head-to-head.
This runoff election is not a new occurrence for Nashville. In fact, it previously happened in 2019 when Mayor John Cooper emerged victorious against incumbent David Briley, securing a substantial 69.1% of the votes. Similarly, in 2015, Mayor Megan Barry defeated David Fox in the runoff, winning 54.8% of the votes. The question now is: who will emerge as the winner in this year’s mayoral runoff?
The current candidates vying for the position of mayor are Alice Rolli and Freddie O’Connell. In the general election, O’Connell, a Democrat, received 27.15% of the votes, while Rolli, a Republican, garnered 20.22%. It’s worth noting that historically, in Nashville’s elections, no candidate who has come in second place during the general election has managed to secure victory in the runoff. However, despite Nashville primarily leaning Democrat, experts suggest that the outcome of this runoff is far from predictable.
Nashville may be considered a blue city, but the surrounding conservative Tennessee landscape plays a role in the political dynamics. According to John Geer, a Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, Nashville is a blue city, there’s no doubt about that, but it looks bluer than it actually is because we’re surrounded by a sea of red that is Tennessee itself. Geer further explains that Nashville is not as liberal as cities like San Francisco or Chicago, pointing out the presence of a number of moderates in the region.
In addition to the mayoral race, Nashville residents will also cast their votes for Metro Councilmember At Large. Voters will choose four candidates among the following: Burkley Allen, Chris Cheng, Quin Evans-Segall, Olivia Hill, Howard Jones, Delishia Porterfield, Russ Pulley, and Jeff Syracuse.
Furthermore, a special election will determine the successor to Representative Bill Beck’s seat in District 51. The candidates in this election include David Hooven (R), Aftyn Behn (D), and Annabelle Lee (Independent).
Early voting will continue until September 9, giving residents ample time to cast their ballots. Those who prefer to vote by absentee ballot have until September 7 to request one.
As the race for mayor intensifies and early voting gets underway, residents of Nashville eagerly await the outcome of this crucial runoff election. Stay tuned for updates on the candidates’ campaigns and the latest developments in Nashville’s political landscape.
