Rhea County voters toss out commissioners who wanted to criminalize homosexuality

Voters in Rhea County have elected five new people to the County Commission and say a short-lived request for a ban on homosexualty was only one issue in the change.

People who live in the Dayton area say overcrowded schools and how the county is handling growth also drove the election on Thursday.

Voters turned out incumbents Harold Fisher, Tom Davis and R. Paul Tallent. Incumbents Dennis Tumlin Brad Varner didn't seek re-election. Four incumbents were returned by voters.

Fisher had been a commissioner for 20 years and was chairman of the body.

In March 2004, commission members voted unanimously voted to ask state lawmakers to introduce legislation amending Tennessee's criminal code so the county could charge homosexuals with crimes against nature.

Two days later, they rescinded the vote, saying they didn't understand they were voting to ban homosexuality in the county.

Newly-elected member Bill Hollin says some constituents thought the gay ban wasn't as bad as the commissioners not understanding what they had voted to do.