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Qualifications for Office

To have a candidate's name on a ballot, that candidate must meet the legal qualifications for the office he/she is seeking. To view the qualifications for federal, state, and county offices, click here. The qualifications for City Mayor, Alderman and Recorder are:

    - Qualified Town voters and bona fide residents within the corporate limits of the
    town of Byrdstown.
    - A further qualification for the office of Mayor shall be the holding of a high school
    diploma or equivalent (G.E.D.) and being twenty-one (21) years of age at the
    beginning of the term.

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Petitions

All nominating petitions are due at 12:00 NOON on the qualifying deadline date. The first day to pick up a nominating petition for the May 2010 County Primary is November 20, 2009. Each petition must have at least 25 verified signatures. Some important things to remember are:

1. Only registered voters who are eligible to vote for that candidate can be counted.
2. Signatures with a post office box number as an address cannot be counted.
3. Signatures that do not match the signature on our files cannot be counted (e.g. a     person cannot sign their spouse's name).
4. The address must match the address we have on file (exception: the person has     moved, but within the same precinct).

For these reasons it is recommended that a candidate get at least 40 signatures on their petition. Nominating petitions for the May County Primary must be turned in no later than 12:00 NOON on February 18, 2010. State law requires the election office to refuse any petitions brought in after the noon deadline.

The dates above also apply to Independent candidates seeking election to county offices.

If your party nominates candidates by a method other than a primary, a petition is not required. (However, your party must submit the names of candidates chosen by the same deadline above.)

The first day to pick up a petition for the office of City Mayor, Alderman, Recorder, or School Board Member is January 4, 2010. The deadline to turn in these petitions is 12:00 NOON on April 1, 2010.

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Statement of Disclosure of Interest

All candidates and elected officials are required to file a Statement of Disclosure of Interest with the Tennessee Ethics Commission. The deadlines to file are:

Candidates for School Board, City Mayor, Alderman, and Recorder:	May 1, 2010
Local elected officials:	January 31st of each year
All other local candidates:	March 20, 2010

This form may be completed online by clicking here, or you may print a form and mail it in.

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Campaign Financial Disclosure Statements

Candidates are required to file these statements UNLESS:

1. the service for office is part-time and the compensation is less than $500 per month
   AND
2. the candidate does not plan on spending more than $1,000 on his/her campaign.

This statement is to be turned in or mailed to the election office.

All county candidates (except School Board) click here to view the deadlines to file these statements.

Candidates for School Board Member, City Mayor, Alderman, and Recorder click here to view the deadlines to file these statements.

Print a Campaign Financial Disclosure Report form

Instructions

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Candidates for Sheriff or Road Supervisor

Candidates for Sheriff are required to file their affidavit of qualification with the P.O.S.T. Commission. Candidates for Road Supervisor are required to file their affidavit of qualification with the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board. The last day to file these documents for either office is February 4, 2010.

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Helpful Links

Map of Pickett County showing districts and voting precincts (This is a large map and will require enlarging to see detail)
Printable calendar listing all important dates for candidates
Where to file petitions, write-in candidacy, etc.
Tennessee Registry of Election Finance
Tennessee Ethics Commission
Laws regarding campaign advertising on utility poles, removal of campaign signs