The Hamilton County Commission yesterday conducted public interviews of eight hopefuls for an appointment as a judge in General Sessions Court. It will make a decision at a meeting next Wednesday, according to Chattanoogan.com. The candidates are Kisha Cheeks, Tracy Cox, Andrew Coyle, Ron Powers, Sam Robinson III, Tori Smith, Pat Wagner and Jonathan Wilson. Whoever is selected to fill the vacancy created by the election of Judge Alex McVeagh to the Circuit Court will serve until the August 2026 general election. The winner of that election then will serve until 2030, which is when the McVeagh’s term would have expired.

Dresden attorney Dale Hutcherson was sworn in as Weakley County mayor, the Dresden Enterprise reports. Hutcherson is a graduate of Rhodes College and Cecil C. Humphreys College of Law in Memphis. During his time in law school, Hutcherson served on the University of Memphis Law Review and founded the University of Memphis Sports and Entertainment Law Society. He is a member of the TBA Young Lawyers Division and the immediate past chair of TBA's Entertainment and Sports Law Section. He was sworn into office by General Sessions Judge Tommy Moore.

Oak Ridge Rep. John Ragan has officially challenged his loss to Rick Scarbrough, alleging that more than 1,000 Anderson County voters were illegitimate Republicans who crossed over to cast a ballot in a race he lost by 258 votes, The Tennesean reports. Ragan argues that state law makes it illegal to vote in a political party's primary without being a "bona fide" member of or affiliated with the political party. He says his challenge is based on the Republican Party's bylaws, which have created bona fide definitions for candidates. Scarbrough sent a letter to his future House colleagues asking lawmakers to encourage members of the state Republican Executive Committee not to allow the contest to go forward, saying he is confident in the election results.

The deadline has been extended for attorneys to apply for appointment by the Hamilton County Commission to fill the General Sessions Court seat that Judge Alex McVeagh will be vacating at the end of the month. Officials said the required notice of the application deadline did not make it into the Sunday Chattanooga Times Free Press as required. The new deadline to apply is Aug. 19 at 3 p.m. EDT. Chattanoogan.com has the amended timeline for filling the vacancy. According to the news outlet, 13 applications have been filed thus far.

Stephen Hatchett, who won a three-way race for district attorney for the 10th Judicial District in March, is asking the local chancery court to rule on whether he can occupy the office immediately. Hatchett says he should be allowed to do so since the March 5 primary election has been certified, Chattanoogan.com reports. Hatchett did not face Democratic opposition in the August election. Shari L. Tayloe, who was named to the post by Gov. Bill Lee after Steve Crump left, says she is not leaving until her term expires on Aug. 31. The district includes Bradley, McMinn, Monroe and Polk counties.

Several judicial seats were decided in yesterday's election. In the votes to retain their seats, both Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater and Court of Criminal Appeals — Western Division Judge Matthew Wilson were successful. In a contested race, TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) President-elect Alex McVeagh prevailed over Kisha Cheeks in the Hamilton County Circuit Court judge seat in District 3. McVeagh will replace Judge Marie Williams, who stepped down six years before her term was set to expire. TBA Board of Governors member David Veile ran unopposed for District 21 Circuit Court judge. Rhea Clift won the election in the Germantown Municipal Court judgeship race, defeating Justin Gee. She will succeed her father, Ray Clift, who served as judge for many years. Former Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer bested Lisa Arnold in the contest for Shelby County General Sessions Court clerk. In Knox County, incumbent law director David Buuck defeated challenger Jackson Fenner and Judge Hector Sanchez ran unopposed for Criminal Court judge in District 6. The Times Free Press, Daily Memphian and Knox News report on the races.

In the Tennessee State Senate, 16 districts held primary elections yesterday. Highlights include two upsets: incumbent John Lundberg, R-Bristol, lost to challenger Bobby Harshbarger, R-Kingsport, in District 4, and Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, lost to challenger Jessie Seal, R-Claiborne County, in District 8. Harshbarger will face Independent Dalia Price of Rogersville in November; Seal will face Democrat R.E. Ellison of Seymour. In the Tennessee House of Representatives, 17 incumbents held off primary challengers; nine of them are unopposed in the general election. In District 4, Republican Renea Jones of Unicoi defeated Curt Alexander; in District 96, Gabby Salinas beat four other Democratic challengers. Both Jones and Salinas will be unopposed in November. In District 27, Republican Patsy Hazelwood lost her primary reelection bid to Michele Reneau, both of Signal Mountain. Reneau will face Democrat Kathy Lennon of Red Bank. District 33 Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, also lost his reelection bid to challenger Rick Scarbrough of Clinton, who will face Anne Backus, D-Oak Ridge. Read more in-depth coverage here.

In the challenge for one of two U.S. Senate seats, current state Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville won yesterday's Democratic primary against three other contenders, including Marquita Bradshaw, who was the Democratic nominee for the seat in 2020. Johnson will face incumbent Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn in the November election. The Tennessean reports on the race. Read more here about the primary results in the Tennessee delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Voters are going to the polls today to vote in Republican and Democratic primary elections but data from the early voting period shows that turnout was down 39% from 2020. According to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office, 353,774 voters cast ballots over the 14-day early voting period, compared to the 583,704 four years ago. Tennessee Journal has more.

In anticipation of the Aug. 1 primary election, Nashville Public Radio (WPLN) has an overview of state laws and rules that govern who can vote in Tennessee. The station reports that over the last few years, the legislature and state courts have created stringent new rules for several groups: (1) those with felony records who want regain their voting rights, (2) nonprofits that run voter registration drives and (3) people who want to vote in a primary for a party with which they are not currently affiliated. Supporters of these rules say they are necessary for election integrity, while opponents have brought lawsuits in federal court. WPLN has an overview of the latest developments in voting rights in Tennessee. Saturday is the last day to vote early.