Chuck Vest, Washington County Administrator of Elections

04/28/2026

So easy everybody should do it 🇺🇸 2 more days of early voting waiting for you or see you next week May 5th. Washington County Election Commission

04/17/2026

Interesting story written by Ballotpedia, illustrates how Tennessee's policy on candidate ballot access is similar to most states. Read on...

In 1755, a 23-year-old George Washington decided to make his first run for elected office, seeking a seat representing Fairfax County in the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Behind that tale are some lesser-known details about how candidates were chosen at that time in our history: It is unclear if Washington knew beforehand that his name was submitted. Voting took place by voice with the voter announcing to the crowd their vote. During this first election, Washington only received 40 votes. There were two other candidates; Hugh West received 271 votes and Thomas Swearingen got 270. Washington kept a copy of the poll sheet, which listed how each person voted, his entire life.

How candidates appear on the ballot has changed markedly since then. Candidates have to meet residency, age, and citizenship requirements, such as those found for members of Congress in the Constitution’s Qualifications Clause. But these qualifications only tell part of the story about ballot access.

The rules vary by state, by the office someone wants to run for, and sometimes by party.

In some states, such as Wisconsin, a candidate’s sole option for getting on the ballot is to collect signatures on a petition nominating them for the office they seek. In states like Louisiana, a candidate can pay a filing fee instead of gathering signatures, though this option may be reserved for major-party candidates (meaning either the Democratic or Republican parties).

In Georgia, a major party candidate must pay a filing fee and cannot gather signatures. Some states, such as California, allow candidates to submit petition signatures to offset the filing fee.

If a candidate is running for local office in Louisiana, the requirements are the same as for those seeking statewide office. A candidate must pay a filing fee or gather signatures, with the fee and signature thresholds varying based on the office sought.

How many signatures and what fees a candidate must submit also vary from state to state. In Virginia, for example, someone who wants to run for a local school board has to gather 125 signatures from qualified voters in order to earn a place on the ballot, in Tennessee it is 25 qualified voter signatures. In Virginia, this requirement does not apply to a town with fewer than 1,500 registered voters. Then, no signatures are required for ballot access.

A candidate who wants to run for the U.S. Senate in Michigan has to gather 15,000 signatures, the highest requirement in the country. Kentucky requires just two signatures — the lowest in the country.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, some states originally instituted candidate filing fees “to deter candidates perceived as frivolous, and to help pay for the administration of elections.” And those fees could be quite high, with “some from the 1960s and 1970s … close to $40,000 once adjusted for inflation.”

Supreme Court rulings have forced states and political parties to adjust their filing fees, resulting in many states charging no fee at all. Texas has the highest filing fee for a state Senate seat at $1,250. The lowest is in New Hampshire, at $10. For state House chambers, Texas and New Hampshire are also the highest and lowest, with Texas requiring a $750 fee and New Hampshire requiring a $2 fee.

Sometimes, political parties have a role in dictating the qualifications for candidates seeking to gain ballot access. This is the case in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, where parties determine the filing fee that a candidate for certain offices (such as governor, U.S. Senate, the state legislature, and state supreme court) must pay to appear on the ballot.

A half dozen states allow political parties to nominate candidates for the primary election ballot, allowing them to bypass the normal ballot access process. In Connecticut, for example, a candidate can become the party-endorsed candidate and qualify for the primary by receiving an endorsement at a party's convention

There is also the question of whether write-in candidates are allowed and, if so, whether they must first file papers with the state declaring their intent to be a write-in candidate in order to have their votes counted. Seven states do not permit write-in candidates at all, while 31 states, including Tennessee, require those candidates to register before the election in order to have their votes counted. In other states, voters may write in any name as a write-in vote, though some states may require registration for presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

One recent trend in ballot access policy relates to the qualifications that a candidate must have to appear on the ballot.

For instance, Florida recently passed legislation requiring candidates to sign an oath or affirmation of their U.S. citizenship and to disclose whether they are dual nationals. At least four states have introduced bills or constitutional amendments requiring candidates for some or all offices to be U.S. citizens. Wyoming passed legislation in 2026 prohibiting convicted s*x offenders from holding elected office. Washington County Election Commission

03/30/2026

Another great story to read by Emma Caskill, about Victoria Rodgers a wonderful, longtime poll worker for our county and the Washington County Election Commission.

At the heart of an election are the people who work to make each precinct run smoothly.

With elections at the local, state and national level, the Washington County Election Commission’s poll workers are beginning to prepare for the long days ahead.

Victoria Rodgers, a poll worker for more than 20 years, has been preparing for months already by ensuring the community knows when and where to vote and who’s on the ballot.

She carries around a stack of more than 50 copies of the Washington County election schedule, handing out hundreds a week.

“I enjoy letting people know about when it’s time to vote, where do you go vote, how do you vote (and) what do you need to bring to vote,” Rodgers said.

She said the main issue as to why people don’t vote is because they don’t know these things and they don’t’ ask. Rodgers ensures they know without asking.

Her role as a poll worker and ensuring people know about the election has played a big role in her life over the past 20 years. She said with politics, everything starts local.

“Whatever’s happening at the federal level started locally how you voted,” Rodgers said. “If you don’t like what’s happening federally right now, you had a part in that because the people that you voted for locally voted for folks on the state level.”

Rodgers said every citizen has a duty to stay involved in local politics because it affects their daily lives.

“Some people say, ‘I’m not involved in politics,’ but politics is involved in you,” Rodgers said. “Your street, potholes, signs in your neighborhood, businesses, whatever … it’s a part of you whether you want to be a part of it or not.”

For Rodgers the biggest part of her job is letting people do their own research. She said it can be challenging to keep your opinions to yourself as a poll worker but ultimately it is not her job to decide for people who to vote for, rather to ensure they do vote.

“You can be a very strong, opinionated person about politics, but as a poll worker, nobody wants to hear that,” Rodgers said.

Training for poll workers begins in April for the primary election. Poll workers must attend training for each election happening this year.

“Just because you went to the training in March does not mean that now you are trained for August and October,” Rodgers said.

Each role has its own training process on what to do in any given scenario to ensure everyone who shows up to vote will vote.

“Everybody’s gonna vote one way or another, either on a machine or through provisional which is a paper ballot,” Rodgers said. “Whether it counts or not is not up to us.”

Rodgers is working as a registrar for early voting and on election day for the Washington County primary election.

“I always tell people, go early vote,” Rodgers said. “Never wait until the (election) day.”

She said voting early guarantees two weeks for registered voters to go to their precinct. Waiting until the day of creates complications and some may decide not to vote.

Rodgers said she looks forward to seeing the results of the local election and being able to vote for new people.

“We got 15 County Commissioners (and) some of those 15 will put their names in the hat again and that’s fine,” Rodgers said. “But out of those 15, there are going to be some new people to put their names in the hat.”

She said the most rewarding thing about her job is talking to voters and other poll workers. She said because of the long days, all the poll workers will bring a dish and have a potluck for lunch.

“Being a poll worker is a constitutional right, is a civic duty and a personal responsibility,” Rodgers said.

**Please subscribe to the Johnson City Press, I do Chuck Vest!!

03/27/2026

We appreciate the great article below by Kimberly Harr with the Johnson City Press. Please subscribe, I do to the E-Edition.
Youth in Action: Students engage in civic duty at the poll

High school students are stepping into polling places this election season, helping to ensure the voting process runs smoothly while gaining firsthand experience in civic engagement.
Maxwell Hawkins, deputy administrator of elections for the Washington County Election Commission, noted that five paid student volunteers — four from Providence Academy and one from David Crockett High School — will staff the polls this year. Hawkins emphasized that these young workers bring a valuable, fresh perspective to the electoral process.
“It’s great to have younger people involved,” Hawkins said. “Government and politics used to feel like something only for adults, but getting students involved shows that the younger generation cares about these issues as well.
“Not only is it important to get a new set of eyes on the process for the rest of the public, but these students provide a great avenue for us to get ideas on how we can improve.”
Hawkins said students also gain practical skills while volunteering.
“It’s also a good way for them to develop conflict management skills and the ability to communicate complex topics,” he said. “If a voter asks a specific question about a voting machine, having students who can answer is a great skill set.”
Students said the opportunity to help in elections appealed to both their desire to serve and learn.
“I think it’s important to help out your community,” Jocelyn Beene of Providence Academy said.
Chloe Henderson, also of Providence Academy, added that she viewed the opportunity as a learning process as she became eligible to vote herself.
“I wanted to understand what the process looks like because local elections are really influential,” she said. “There’s nothing better than participating to learn how it works.”
Lacey Barnett of Providence Academy said a friend inspired her to get involved.
“Seeing someone I know get into this and caring about it motivated me,” she said. “If my generation doesn’t learn what’s happening, we won’t have a voice in the future.”
Students said volunteering at the election commission has changed their understanding of the voting process.
“There are real people working here to help the community.” Estevan Buton of Providence Academy said, “It’s a difficult process without people involved, and seeing how many steps it takes really makes you appreciate it.”
Maggie Thacker of David Crockett High School, the group’s returning student worker, said her experience has shown how involvement can spread.
“When younger people are exposed to it, it creates a chain reaction,” she said. “They can show others what it’s like and teach them they can do it too.”
Each of the students were vocal about the value of early student engagement in elections.
Beene said even those who cannot yet vote are still affected.
“Local elections directly impact your community, your school system and your daily life,” she said. “Getting involved helps you understand how those decisions affect you.”
Buton said early exposure helps build understanding.
“It gives younger people a chance to see how the system works,” he said. “The sooner we learn, the better, so there are fewer misunderstandings.”
Thacker said that early involvement can encourage others to participate.
“It becomes something you can pass along,” she said. “I’ve even helped family members who thought the process was too complicated.”
Henderson said her perspective was shaped by conversations at home.
“My mom always told me there was a time when I wouldn’t have been able to vote,” she said. “That made me realize how important it is to have a voice and to use it, especially in local elections where decisions directly affect you.”
Barnett said starting young helps build lasting habits.
“If you wait until you’re older, you might lose interest,” she said. “But if you learn now and see how important it is, it becomes part of who you are and how you make decisions.”

03/24/2026

If you or you know of someone interested in working election day May 5 please call Max at our office today 423-753-1688 or apply www.wcecoffice.com/washington-county-poll-worker-application/ . Training and pay provided
Chuck,
Below are the precincts that will need more people for the May Primary:
• West View – 1 Machine Operator
• Jonesborough Visitor’s Center – 1 Failsafe Judge
• Gray Elementary – 1 Registrar
• Lakeridge Elementary – 1 Failsafe Judge and 1 Machine Operator
• Towne Acres – 1 Failsafe Judge (Cancelled this morning) and 1 Machine Operator
• Carver Recreation – 1 Machine Operator
• Woodland Elementary – 1 Provisional Judge (Cancelled this morning)
• Asbury Alternative – 1 Registrar
• Sulphur Springs – 1 Failsafe Judge
Total: 11 Openings
All the best,
Maxwell Hawkins
Deputy Administrator of Elections – Logistics
Washington County, TN
o. 423-753-1688 – ext. 5479

03/19/2026

We've had 4 very productive days this week, programmed and checked 150 voting machines by our 4 Machine Techs and 3 training classes with our Early Voting teams of Gray, Freedom Hall and Jonesborough led by Sheila Hayes and Veronica Thompson Nuckols. Up next is Election Day worker training so if you like to serve your community, make a little money, make friends and spread a civic-minded attitude come join our teams on Election Day May 5. Washington County Election Commission

03/16/2026

Our office appreciates all the candidates professionalism while working with our staff and other candidates.

03/07/2026

01/17/2026

Come join us on Tuesday and help kickstart this annual event where we say Thanks for serving our community! Election workers just need to be 16 & over and available on days of voting and training!

12/18/2025

NASHVILLE — Washington County Administrator of Elections Chuck Vest was recognized by the state after passing the Administrator of Elections Certification Exam.

In a press release, Secretary of State Tre Hargett celebrated Vest’s accomplishment.

“Congratulations to Chuck Vest on earning his state certification,” Hargett said. “Chuck’s attainment of this goal should instill confidence in the citizens of Washington County that their elections are being conducted with integrity and accuracy.”

The release highlights the annual exam as containing “rigorous” questions relating to voter registration, statutory requirements and election day guidelines.

Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins similarly applauded Vest’s achievement.

“Chuck’s successful completion of this exam prepares him well to serve voters in his community,” Goins said. “I appreciate Chuck’s service, desire, and continued commitment to ensuring elections in Washington County remain secure and trustworthy.”

Vest previously served as Jonesborough mayor from 2018 to 2025, before resigning in July to take up the post as Washington County’s election administrator.

“I appreciate the Secretary of State and Division of Elections offices for the 4 months of educational services,” Vest said. “Now, as a State Certified Administrator of Elections, I can confidently lead our county into the 2026 election season.”

11/26/2025

Great story about Historic Jonesborough from Tennessee Home & Farm and Farm Bureau

While Jonesborough’s warm hospitality is on display throughout the year, it shines a bit more brightly during the winter weekends.

11/21/2025

A huge thank you to the Historic Jonesborough for generously donating a beautiful gift basket filled with Jonesborough keepsakes for our upcoming East Tennessee Association of County Election Officials Conference (ETACEO) 🧺✨

This basket will be featured in the conference’s silent auction, helping raise funds to support the ETACEO organization and its mission.

Chuck Vest, Washington County Administrator of Elections and our team will be attending the conference, where we’ll continue learning and staying up to date on Tennessee election law.

We are grateful for all the continued support of our office and our commitment to serving the voters of Washington County ❤️🤍💙