November’s Sumner County Commission race again has a third contender.
Randy Wyckoff, a Republican from Wellington, has announced he will start a write-in campaign for Sumner County Commissioner District No. 3.
In this month’s primary election Wyckoff came in after Cliff Bales of Oxford and Stan Burdett of Caldwell.
The gap between Bales and Burdett was a mere six votes (368 to 362). Wyckoff was 79 votes behind Burdett with 283. Wyckoff said part of the inspiration of putting his hat in the ring again was the news of Burdett announcing his write-in campaign earlier this week.
"It's just like Burdett, I've had all sorts stop me and say 'don't give up yet'," Wyckoff said.
In a primary election, according to state law, registered democrats must vote democrat, republicans must vote republican. Unaffiliated voters are able to vote democrat in the primary based on party rules. However unaffiliated voters would have to become a republican to vote for that party's candidate. Wyckoff, a Republican candidate, said he had several Democrats who've contacted him, wishing they could have voted for him.
"Democrats and all said they wanted to vote, they encouraged me to continue on," Wyckoff said. "And I told them I would."
The winner of the Republican primary election for the Sumner County Commissioner 3rd District, Cliff Bales, hopes the two write-in candidates will split each other's votes.
"I'm thrilled that's happening," Bales said. "Because he will split Burdett's voters like he did before."
Bales name will be the only one appearing on the ballot. But if a voter casts their ballot for a write-in candidate, the County Clerk's office must be able to tell a voter's intent; a minor misspelling would still get the vote counted as long as the voter’s intent was obvious.
To help his cause, Wyckoff plans to get his name out there to the public.
"I'm going to put out signs that have 'write-in' on it," Wyckoff explained. "And I think I'll do some advertising." Burdett is hopeful the next election will be different.
"I celebrate his right to a write-in campaign," Burdett said. "By making it a three man race again, I just hope the end result isn't the same as the primary was."
Bales also said he is confident there are several voters out there that couldn't vote for him the same way they couldn't vote for his opponents. He is also hopeful he will get those votes.
Wyckoff acknowledged there are still a lot of voters to sway. There's always a chance, he said.
"There was only 20 percent in the primary that voted," Wyckoff said. "So there's still a lot out there."
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November’s Sumner County Commission race again has a third contender.
Randy Wyckoff, a Republican from Wellington, has announced he will start a write-in campaign for Sumner County Commissioner District No. 3.
In this month’s primary election Wyckoff came in after Cliff Bales of Oxford and Stan Burdett of Caldwell.
The gap between Bales and Burdett was a mere six votes (368 to 362). Wyckoff was 79 votes behind Burdett with 283. Wyckoff said part of the inspiration of putting his hat in the ring again was the news of Burdett announcing his write-in campaign earlier this week.
"It's just like Burdett, I've had all sorts stop me and say 'don't give up yet'," Wyckoff said.
In a primary election, according to state law, registered democrats must vote democrat, republicans must vote republican. Unaffiliated voters are able to vote democrat in the primary based on party rules. However unaffiliated voters would have to become a republican to vote for that party's candidate. Wyckoff, a Republican candidate, said he had several Democrats who've contacted him, wishing they could have voted for him.
"Democrats and all said they wanted to vote, they encouraged me to continue on," Wyckoff said. "And I told them I would."
The winner of the Republican primary election for the Sumner County Commissioner 3rd District, Cliff Bales, hopes the two write-in candidates will split each other's votes.
"I'm thrilled that's happening," Bales said. "Because he will split Burdett's voters like he did before."
Bales name will be the only one appearing on the ballot. But if a voter casts their ballot for a write-in candidate, the County Clerk's office must be able to tell a voter's intent; a minor misspelling would still get the vote counted as long as the voter’s intent was obvious.
To help his cause, Wyckoff plans to get his name out there to the public.
"I'm going to put out signs that have 'write-in' on it," Wyckoff explained. "And I think I'll do some advertising." Burdett is hopeful the next election will be different.
"I celebrate his right to a write-in campaign," Burdett said. "By making it a three man race again, I just hope the end result isn't the same as the primary was."
Bales also said he is confident there are several voters out there that couldn't vote for him the same way they couldn't vote for his opponents. He is also hopeful he will get those votes.
Wyckoff acknowledged there are still a lot of voters to sway. There's always a chance, he said.
"There was only 20 percent in the primary that voted," Wyckoff said. "So there's still a lot out there."
