Lowery new mayor of Sparta

Jerry Lowery, City of Sparta's new-elected mayor

Longtime City of Sparta mayor Jeff Young has been soundly defeated in the Aug. 4, 2022, election by alderman Jerry Lowery.

Young, who had served numerous years as the top official of Sparta received 370 votes to Lowery’s 539. Lowery, a United States Navy veteran, retired school teacher, and former White County commissioner, had served several years as an alderman.

There will also be another new face on the Sparta Board of Mayor and Alderman. Three aldermen positions were available, with incumbents Jim Floyd, Robert “Bobby” G. Officer, and Hoyt Jones vying for re-election, along with newcomers to the political arena Janice Jernigan Heikkenen and Travis McBride rounding out the choices. Floyd and Officer were re-elected, but Jones was sidelined by McBride by only 15 votes. Floyd, Officer, and McBride with take their oaths of office next month.

For the position of White County Road Superintendent, Jerry Sawyer defeated Chris Goines, with a vote of 2.646 to 1,518.

In other election news, Bobby Robinson, of Sparta, candidate for Tennessee House of Representatives District 43, which includes White and Warren counties, defeated incumbent Paul Sherrell, also of Sparta, in their home county by a vote of 2,165 to 1,432. However, Sherrell was able to rally his constituents in Warren County to obtain the number of votes he needed to retain his seat. Warren County totals were 3,204 for Sherrell and 2.398 for Robinson. Final totals for both counties were Sherrell 4,636 and Robinson 4,563 – only 73 votes between the two candidates. Sherrell was once again able to retain his office.

County commissioners elected are as follows:

District 1: Cain Rogers and Chris Brewington

District 2: Thomas “T.K.” Austin Jr. and David V. Cranford

District 3: Becky Golden and Robert McCormick

District 4: Lanny Selby and John Dakota White

District 5: Jordan Cocke and Thomas Margeson

District 6: Derrick Hutchings and Roger Mason Jr.

District 7: Larry Daniels and Kyle Goff

In the White County Register of Deeds election, Lori Jones, a longtime employee of the office, defeated businessman Lee Hitchcock with a vote of 3,113 to 1,088.

The election for Circuit Court Judge Part I - District 13, ended with incumbent Amy Turnbull Hollars being defeated by William T. “Will” Ridley, with Ridley securing 20,475 to Hollars’ 12,480. This district includes White, Putnam, Pickett, Overton, DeKalb, Cumberland, and Clay counties.