Knox G.O.P. Chair makes push for Republican Election Head

It's a job that's seen unprecedented turnover in East Tennessee this spring.

More than a half-dozen election administrators have been shown the door as the new Republican majority has taken over the capitol in Nashville.

"I didn't make it a political position, it's that way in the law," Knox G.O.P. Chairman Ray Jenkins said.

Up next, maybe on the chopping block, Knox County Election Administrator Greg Mackay.

"I don't hold any personal animus (dislike) toward him at all," Jenkins said. "It's just he's in the wrong party."

To rally support among Knox County's Republicans, Jenkins sent a highly charged letter that has ruffled some feathers.

In it, he urged the three G.O.P. election commissioners to open the hiring process, remove Greg Mackay, and start taking resumes from Republicans.

He also took aim at Knoxville-area legislators who appointed the commissioners, calling the process a "secret ballot".

Knoxville-area State Senator Tim Burchett says that's not the case. He says the meeting where commissioners were appointed was open to the public and press.

Still, Jenkins continues his push.

"Elections have consequences. It's time the Republican majority in Nashville and Knox County begin to act like it," Jenkins wrote in the letter. "Also, urge them to ensure that whomever they appoint as Election Commissioners, a Republican must be appointed as the Knox County Administrator of Elections."

Earlier this spring, the Tennessee Attorney General ruled Election Administrators cannot be removed solely based on political preference.

"It doesn't say politics can't be a part of the decision, it doesn't say politics can't be a major part," Jenkins said. "If we can't find Republican who is competent and capable of running that office in Knox County, I don't think we're working hard enough," Jenkins said.

"This needs to be a debate over who the right person to run our elections is, not whether they have an R or a D next to their name," Bob Becker, Knoxville Vice Mayor said.

As Knoxville considers moving to convenience voting, a major shift in the way elections work in the county, it could mean chaos if Greg Mackay is removed. Mackay has researched the process and is seen around Tennessee as a leader in changing the way we vote, hoping to make the process easier.

Knoxville's city council still has to vote and approve convenience voting for this fall's elections. Their decision could shift substantially if Mackay is removed.

"If they just sort of pick some Republican, yeah, that would greatly impact it," Becker said.

Caught in the crossfire and trying to hang on to his job, Greg Mackay had no response to the letter.

10News caught up with all three Republicans who sit on the election commission over the past week. All three say they believe Mackay has done a good job.

One of those commissioners, Bob Bowman said he has some policy issues with Mackay. Bowman cited one issue as convenience voting and said he has heard complaints regarding the voting machines purchased.

Like many others, Bowman said he doesn't feel the Election Administrator job is a lifetime appointment. He'd like to see an open process, calling on applications from both Republicans and Democrats who meet qualifications for the job.

Jenkins says he has heard several complaints from Republicans in the county about the way Mackay handled elections, although no formal complaints about election procedures are known.

Jenkins also served as the attorney for a group of citizens who filed suit against Mackay and the election commission following what they considered to be issues with Charter Amendment 3 and the signature gathering process last year. Ultimately, the lawsuit was dismissed.

Now, Jenkins says it's a right and power that comes along with the election that Mackay be removed and a competent Republican get the paycheck.

"This is one of those rights and responsibilities that flows from having that majority," he said.

He says if it were the other way around, the Democrats would have already pushed a Republican Administrator out of office.

'I don't have any candidate as long as there is an (R) in the parenthesis after their name," Jenkins said.

Knox County's Election Commission is next scheduled to meet Friday afternoon.

In that meeting, the call could be made to open up the hiring process. Several commissioners say they would welcome a call for all resumes, hoping to include Mackay in that selection process.