Conservative groups that have targeted and won majorities on local boards and commissions across the United States over the past couple years are now pressing agendas that include election distrust, skepticism of government and a desire to have religion play a greater role in public decision-making
While their success at winning office has varied, the consequences when they do are becoming apparent in places such as Sumner County, where they can wield power — such as budgeting authority — that could have implications for how elections are run and votes are tallied.
Ring did not have a primary challenger and has found himself called a “RINO” — Republican In Name Only — even though “for most of my life, I’ve been the most conservative person in the room.” He is among more than two dozen current and former local officials featured on a “Wall of Shame” that the Constitutional Republicans created on their website.
The election administrator, Lori Atchley, has continued to ask, warning the commission that she is operating at a deficit because the workers had to be paid. Commissioners have not budged. The election commission's desire to move its operations to a larger building is at the center of another dispute between election officials and those now leading the county commission who say the move was never authorized and they want the space for other uses. Election officials say they only needed approval from the county mayor, which they received before the current commission took office.
Lee, the election commission's lawyer, said election staff continues to work with the county as it seeks clarity from the court and prepares for the state’s presidential primary early next year. Both he and Mansfield described what they said were frustrations in the community with those who sat on the previous county commission.
“At one point, I was ignorant, totally oblivious with what is going on -- whoever is in office, it’s all interchangeable. That’s because I believed there were safeguards,” she said. “What I am seeing, they don’t care about laws. They don’t care about rules. I have never seen anything so fragile as our government.”
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