More than a dozen candidates running for eight offices on the Aug. 6 ballot will take the stage tonight at the Ruffin Theatre in Covington for the first Tipton County Candidate Forum hosted by Paper Folds News.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The forum begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
What to expect
The forum will move through each contested and solo race on the August ballot, in order. Candidates will deliver opening statements and then respond to prepared questions – the same questions for everyone in the race. Every candidate gets the same amount of time.
Paper Folds emailed all confirmed participants their questions Tuesday morning. The goal isn’t to catch anyone off guard – it’s to give candidates the chance to think carefully about what they want to say, and to give voters a substantive conversation rather than talking points.
Audience members will have the opportunity to submit written questions near the end of the forum.
The forum will be recorded and coverage will be published at paperfoldsnews.com.
Who will be there
The following candidates have confirmed their plans to attend:
County Executive William “Billy” Daugherty
County Clerk April C. Fortner
County Trustee Kristie Glass Maxwell
Co. Commissioner, District 2 Justin Gangaware, James Hardin, Michael W. Naifeh
Co. Commissioner, District 4 Walker A. Adams, Jason Skinner
Co. Commissioner, District 5 Glenn Turner
Co. Commissioner, District 7 Courtney Fee, Alvis Ferrell
Co. Commissioner, District 9 David Copeland, Jonathan G. Murphy
Circuit Court Clerk Connie D. Fayne, Shane Waits
Register of Deeds Stephanie A. Presley, Trena C. Jones
A few races that won’t be represented tonight
Not every race on the Aug. 6 ballot is represented at tonight’s forum.
In District 7, Brad Case is also on the ballot but will not be in attendance. In District 5, Randy Roe is on the ballot but will not be attending.
The District 81 seat in the Tennessee State House of Representatives – currently held by retiring incumbent Debra Moody – is also on the Aug. 6 ballot. Candidates Brett Giannini and Jason Fleming were both invited to participate in tonight’s forum and chose not to. Both submitted responses to the Paper Folds voter questionnaire. Their full responses will be published in the Tipton County Voter Guide on July 15.
Why this matters
Tipton County is in the middle of a generational transition. Several longtime officeholders are stepping aside. The County Executive’s office — the top administrative role in county government — will have new leadership for the first time since 1986. The Circuit Court Clerk, County Clerk, and Register of Deeds are also retiring after long tenures.
At the same time, the county is growing fast. Decisions about infrastructure, development, public safety, and schools being made in the next four years will shape what Tipton County looks like for decades.
Voters deserve to hear directly from the people asking for their vote — in their own words, under the same conditions, answering the same questions. That’s what tonight is designed to provide.
We started Paper Folds News because we believe local democracy works better when voters are informed. That belief is what drove us to organize this forum, and it’s what will drive our coverage between now and Election Day.
After the forum: The Voter Guide
Tonight’s forum will be filmed for replay.
The Tipton County Voter Guide publishes July 15 at paperfoldsnews.com — one day before early voting begins July 17. It will include full questionnaire responses from every candidate who participated, presented side by side so voters can compare.
If you can’t make it tonight, that guide is the next best thing.
Come out tonight
The Ruffin Theatre is located at 108 W. Pleasant Avenue in Covington.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Forum begins at 7 p.m. Free admission. Open to the public.
Election Day is August 6.
Echo Rose is the editor of Paper Folds News. She will serve as moderator for tonight’s forum. Robert Rose, co-owner of Paper Folds News, will co-host.
