August 1 FSA County Committee Nomination Deadline

July 16, 2020
By:

Donny Green, County Executive Director for the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency, reminds DeKalb County and Cannon County farmers that the deadline to nominate candidates for the 2020 Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee Election is August 1.

“The election of knowledgeable agricultural producers to FSA county committees is important to all farmers and ranchers with large or small operations. It is crucial that every eligible producer take part in this election because county committees are a direct link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Farm Service Agency is unique because we have a grassroots farmer-elected committee that oversees and delivers farm programs at the local level,” says Green.

DeKalb County Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 2 will elect a representative in this year’s election. Nominees must reside in LAA # 2, which generally covers the western portion of DeKalb County including the Alexandria, Liberty, Dowelltown, Temperance Hall, Dale Ridge, Lower Helton, New Hope, Upper Helton, Dry Creek, and Pea Ridge communities.

Cannon County Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 4 will elect a representative in this year’s election. Nominees must reside in LAA # 4, which covers all areas east of Highway 53 in Cannon County.

Individuals may nominate themselves, or others, as a candidate. In addition, eligible candidates can be nominated by community-based and other organizations, especially groups representing socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, in the county where the election is being held before the close of the nomination period. Nominations and elections are open to all eligible candidates and voters without regard to race, color, religion, nation origin, age, sex, marital status or disability. The nomination form (FSA-669A) is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Producers should remember the following dates regarding the upcoming county committee elections. Producers can request, complete, and submit nomination forms through August 1. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by November 2. The deadline to return ballots is December 7. Elected committee members and alternates take office on January 1, 2021.

July 16, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County’s confirmed number of COVID-19 cases has jumped to 128 with 67 active cases as of Thursday, July 16

The Tennessee Department of Health reported Thursday, July 16 that 2,859 people have been tested with 2,731 negative results and 128 positive. There have been no deaths in DeKalb County from the virus and 61 of the 128 persons tested positive since March have recovered.

The DeKalb County Health Department’s new testing hours are Monday-Friday from 9am to 12 NOON every day.

At 128 cases, DeKalb County ranks 6th highest in the 14 county Upper Cumberland region behind Putnam with 1,136 (7 deaths), Macon 680 (7 deaths), Cumberland 244 (5 deaths), Smith 205 (2 deaths), and Warren 189 (1 death). Other counties in the region with COVID-19 cases are White 117 (3 deaths), Overton 88 (1 death), Cannon 66, Jackson 65, Fentress 36, Clay 31, Van Buren 14, and Pickett 9.

July 15, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

In a typical August election in a presidential year, not many people vote by mail-in ballot.

In August 2016, a total of 2,525 voted in DeKalb County including 1,402 on election day, 50 mailed absentee ballots, and 1,073 early voters.

The DeKalb County Election Commission has seen an increase in requests for absentee ballots this year especially for an August election.

As of today (Wednesday, July 15) 174 ballots are in the mail to those who have requested and are eligible to vote absentee in August and that number is expected to grow due to COVID-19 concerns. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot for this election is July 30.

“We were warned by our state office that absentee voting would increase and it has done that. Absentee ballots can be applied for until July 30 but based on mail delivery it is always best for people to apply as early as possible. Voted absentee ballots must be returned by mail, not hand delivered to the election commission, and received by August 6 for them to be counted on election day,” said Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley.

According to the state election laws, registered voters must cast ballots in person on election day or during the early voting period unless they meet the requirements for absentee voting which include the following:

*You will be outside the county where you are registering during the early voting period and all day on election day.

*You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.

*You are on the permanent absentee list

*You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.

*You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty

*You are 60 years of age or older.

*You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place

*You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote; and/or you have determined it is impossible or unreasonable to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 situation.

*You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill or disabled, and/or you have determined it is impossible or unreasonable to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 situation

*You are a candidate for office in the election

*You serve as an election day official or as a member or employee of the election commission

*You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on election day

*You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license or Transportation Worker Identification Credential card and you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and election day and have no specific out of county or out of state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.

*You are a member of the military or are an overseas citizen.

A registered voter may request a by-mail ballot either in person at the DeKalb County Election Commission Office or by mail, fax and email. If requested by mail, fax, or email, the request must include the voter’s signature. In addition, the request must include the following eight items:

*The name of the registered voter

*The address of the voter’s residence

*The voter’s date of birth

*The voter’s Social Security number

*The address to mail the ballot outside the county (this applies only when the reason for voting by mail involves that the voter will be outside of the county during early voting and on election day)

*The election the voter wishes to participate in. If the election involves a Primary, the political party in which the voter wishes to participate.

*The reason the voter wishes to vote absentee

*The voter’s signature. (If the voter is unable to sign his/her name, contact the election commission office for details at 615-597-4146.

A request that contains this information will be treated and processed as an application for ballot, and a ballot will be mailed to the voter.