By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — The continuing wave of women rising to leadership in Knoxville and the unseating of an
incumbent set the tone of the elections in Knoxville last Thursday night. The election did not end until the next day as
one winner had to wait for the count of the provisional votes.
The wave of change continues. Dr. Dasha Lundy will join the Knox County Commission representing District One, Courtney Roberts Durrett will also join County Commission as District Two representative, and Michele McCray Carringer, a strong supporter of the 2020 Census, heads to Nashville to represent District 16 as their state representative.
The real nail biter was the back and forth all day in the race for the 15th District seat which incumbent Rick Staples lost. Sam McKenzie was finally ruled the winner the morning after the election. He won by 23 votes against rising new comer and activist Matthew Park.