Nashville, Tennessee municipal elections, 2015

Last updated on June 27, 2025

Nashville, Tennessee municipal elections, 2015

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List of candidates MayorVice MayorAt-largeMetro Council: District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35

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Districts map

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Election rules

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Ballot questions

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Issues

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2015 Municipal Elections

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Nashville, Tennessee

The city of Nashville, Tennessee, held nonpartisan elections for mayor and metro council on August 6, 2015. A runoff in the races where it was required took place place on September 10, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was May 21, 2015. All 41 metro council seats—including the office of vice mayor—were up for election.[1][2]

Numerically speaking, a Nashville city election is always one of the largest local electoral events in its election cycle. As of 2015, the city has a population of over 600,000 and boasts the third-largest municipal council in the country behind Chicago and New York City. With 42 offices up for grabs and a total of 122 candidates—10 more than the 112 who filed in 2011—2015 was no exception. The election could be broadly broken down into four levels of races: a mayoral seat, a vice-mayoral seat, five at-large seats and 35 council districts.

In the mayoral race, two-term incumbent Karl Dean was term-limited and therefore unable to seek re-election. Megan Barry won the seat after a runoff election. Seven candidates filed to succeed him, including three local Nashville politicians: Barry, a term-limited at-large council member, David Fox, a former chair of the Metropolitan Nashville School Board, and Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry, formerly an at-large council member, vice mayor, and 2007 mayoral candidate. Also in the race were local attorney Charles Robert Bone, real estate executive and Democratic fundraiser Bill Freeman, charter school founder Jeremy Kane and local businesswoman Linda Eskind Rebrovick.

Money played a big role in the mayoral race. Freeman, as noted above, has an extensive fundraising background. In 2012, he was a major bundler for President Barack Obama's (D) re-election campaign.[3] Freeman and three other candidates—Charles Robert Bone, Linda Eskind Rebrovick and David Fox, a former hedge-fund operator—had already raised over $1 million each by early April 2015.[4] The race was competitive; because no clear frontrunner emerged over the summer, a runoff was likely. Click here to read about some of the issues that shaped Nashville's 2015 mayoral race.

The race for vice mayor pitted former council member David Briley against at-large council incumbent and former Tennessee state legislator Tim Garrett. Briley served on the council from 1999 to 2007. He ran for mayor in 2007 and finished fifth in the general election.[5] Garrett was elected to the council in 2007. Before that, he was the District 10 representative on the metro council from 1983 to 1999 and the District 50 representative in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1984 to 2004. Garrett ran for the vice mayoral seat in 1999 and lost. Incumbent Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors was prohibited from running for re-election due to term limits.

The at-large race went to a runoff. It featured a total of 26 candidates fighting for just five seats. The rules for at-large runoff elections are described below. All five at-large incumbents were term-limited, but plenty of term-limited district council members are seeking election to one of the city-wide seats. Nine district members ran. All of them have been members of the council since 2007.

Eighty-seven candidates vied for the 35 district seats. Term limits and three early retirements opened up 20 of these seats. Fifteen incumbents sought re-election. In races that featured incumbents, the average number of candidates was less than two. Seven of these races featured unopposed incumbents, and only three incumbents faced more than one candidate. In races without an incumbent, the average number of candidates was slightly above three. There were a few open races that deviated from this average. Districts 1, 2 and 8 had eight, five and six candidates respectively, while Districts 14 and 25 had one candidate each.

## Mayor[edit]

### Candidate list[edit]

Note: Incumbent Karl Dean was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Megan Barry a \- Barry was elected to the Nashville council in 2007.
* Charles Robert Bone
* David Fox a
* Bill Freeman
* Howard Gentry
* Jeremy Kane
* Linda Eskind Rebrovick

September 10 Runoff election:

* Megan Barry
* David Fox

### Election results[edit]

Nashville Mayor Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Megan Barry | 54.8% | 60,519
David Fox | 45% | 49,694
Write-in  | 0.2% | 241
Total Votes | 110,454
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville Mayor General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Megan Barry | 23.5% | 24,553
David Fox | 22.8% | 23,754
Bill Freeman | 21.4% | 22,308
Howard Gentry | 11.6% | 12,110
Charles Robert Bone | 10.5% | 10,962
Linda Eskind Rebrovick | 5.6% | 5,827
Jeremy Kane | 4.6% | 4,767
Write-in  | 0.1% | 62
Total Votes | 93,687
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

### Polling[edit]

2015 Nashville Mayoral Election

Poll | Bill Freeman | Megan Barry| Howard Gentry| Linda Eskind Rebrovick| David Fox| Charles Robert Bone| Jeremy Kane| Margin of error| Sample size
Gerstein Bocain Agne Strategies
(July 16-20, 2015)
| 18%| 20%| 11%| 7%| 19%| 9%| 3%| +/-4.4| 500
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research
(July 9-14, 2015)
| 24%| 15%| 12%| 7%| 13%| 8%| 4%| +/--| 500
Anzalone Liszt Grove Research
(June 28 - July 1, 2015)
| 21%| 16%| 13%| 9%| 11%| 8%| 3%| +/-4.4| 500
Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group
(June 11-13, 2015)
| 18%| 13%| 12%| 11%| 6%| 6%| 3%| +/-5.0| 400
AVERAGES|  20.25%|  16%|  12%|  8.5%|  12.25%|  7.75%|  3.25%|  +/-1.25|  475
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

## Metro council[edit]

Map of Nashville's council districts. Click to enlarge.

2016 →

<- 2014

2015 Elections for Mayors and City Councils

* * *

Municipal Elections
2015 Elections By State
2015 Elections By Date
Recent News

* * *

2015 Elections
Albuquerque • Anchorage
Arlington • Aurora • Boise
Boston • Buffalo
Charlotte • Chicago
Cleveland • Colorado Springs • Columbus • Dallas • Denver
Durham • El Paso
Ferguson • Fort Wayne
Fort Worth • Garland • Greensboro
Henderson • Hialeah
Houston • Indianapolis
Irving • Jacksonville
Kansas City • Laredo • Las Vegas • Lincoln • Los Angeles • Long Beach • Louisville • Madison
Memphis • Miami
Milwaukee • Nashville
North Las Vegas
Oklahoma City • Orlando
Philadelphia • Phoenix
Pittsburgh • Plano • Raleigh
Riverside • Sacramento
San Antonio
San Francisco
San Jose • Seattle
St. Louis • St. Paul
St. Petersburg • Tampa
Toledo • Tucson
Washington, D.C.
Wichita

* * *

Note: Cities listed in this box are those among the 100 largest in the United States that held elections in 2015.

### Candidate list[edit]

#### Vice Mayor[edit]

Note: Incumbent Diane Neighbors was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* David Briley
* Tim Garrett

#### At-large[edit]

Note: Five at-large seats were up for election. All five council incumbents were term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Buddy Baker \- District 20 incumbent Baker was elected to the council in 2007.
* Jody Ball
* Karen Bennett a \- District 8 incumbent Bennett was elected to the council in 2007.
* Al Carota
* Erin Coleman a
* John Cooper a
* Elizabeth Dachowski
* Adam Dread
* Robert Duvall a \- District 33 incumbent Duvall was elected to the council in 2007.
* Leroy Johnny Ellis
* Erica Gilmore a \- District 19 incumbent Gilmore was elected to the council in 2007.
* Ronnie Greer, Sr.
* Frank Harrison \- District 2 incumbent Harrison was elected to the council in 2007.
* Jason Holleman a \- District 24 incumbent Holleman was elected to the council in 2007.
* Martin Holsinger
* Phillip Joseph Hostettler, Jr.
* Walter Hunt \- District 3 incumbent Hunt was elected to the council in 2007.
* Sharon W Hurt a
* Ken Jakes
* James Keeton
* John Lasiter
* Don Majors
* Lonnell Matthews, Jr. a \- District 1 incumbent Matthews was elected to the council in 2007.
* Bob Mendes a
* Sandra Moore \- District 17 incumbent Moore was elected to the council in 2007.
* Jim Shulman a

September 10 runoff election:

* Karen Bennett
* Erin Coleman
* John Cooper
* Robert Duvall
* Erica Gilmore
* Jason Holleman
* Sharon W Hurt
* Lonnell Matthews, Jr.
* Bob Mendes
* Jim Shulman

#### District 1[edit]

Note: Incumbent Lonnell Matthews, Jr. was term-limited. He ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Sylvester Armor
* Ruby Baker
* Rueben Dockery
* Loniel Greene, Jr. a
* Nick Leonardo a
* Lethia Mann
* John H. Montgomery
* Jonathan Richardson
* Roosevelt Williamson

September 10 Runoff election:

* Loniel Greene, Jr.
* Nick Leonardo

#### District 2[edit]

Note: Incumbent Frank Harrison was term-limited. He ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Laura Fortier
* DeCosta Hastings a
* Danavan Hylton
* Carrie Searcy
* Robert "Bobby" Stockard a

September 10 runoff election:

* DeCosta Hastings
* Robert "Bobby" Stockard

#### District 3[edit]

Note: Incumbent Walter Hunt was term-limited. He ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Terry Clayton a
* Timothy R. Coleman
* Brenda Haywood a

September 10 runoff election:

* Terry Clayton
* Brenda Haywood

#### District 4[edit]

Note: First term incumbent Brady Banks announced his intentions not to seek re-election in February 2015.[6]
August 6 general election:

* Robert Swope
* Peter Tuttle

#### District 5[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Scott Davis a \- Incumbent Davis was elected to the council in 2011.
* Sarah Martin a
* Pam Murray

September 10 runoff election:

* Scott Davis
* Sarah Martin

#### District 6[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Peter Westerholm \- Incumbent Westerholm was elected to the council in 2011.
* Brett A. Withers

#### District 7[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Stephen Clements
* Anthony Davis \- Incumbent Davis was elected to the council in 2011.
* Randy Reed

#### District 8[edit]

Note: Incumbent Karen Bennett was term-limited. She ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Ramona L. Gholston
* Nina Ground
* Robert Sawyers, Sr.
* Chris Swann a
* Nancy VanReece a
* Danny Williams

September 10 runoff election:

* Chris Swann
* Nancy VanReece

#### District 9[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Roderick Mc Daniel
* Bill Pridemore \- Incumbent Pridemore was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 10[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Doug Pardue \- Incumbent Pardue was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 11[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Larry H. Hagar \- Incumbent Hagar was elected to the council in 2014.

#### District 12[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Steve Glover \- Incumbent Glover was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 13[edit]

Note: First term incumbent Josh Stites announced his intentions not to seek re-election in February 2015.[6]
August 6 general election:

* Furtesha Carter
* Mark Cole
* Holly Huezo

September 10 Runoff election:

* Mark Cole
* Holly Huezo

#### District 14[edit]

Note: Incumbent James Bruce Stanley was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Kevin Rhoten

#### District 15[edit]

Note: Incumbent Phil Claiborne was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* James B. Garrett
* Jeff Syracuse

#### District 16[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Mike Freeman
* Tony Tenpenny \- Incumbent Tenpenny was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 17[edit]

Note: Incumbent Sandra Moore was term-limited. She ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Chris Cotton
* Paula Foster
* Colby Sledge
* Tony Watson

September 10 runoff election:

* Paula Foster
* Colby Sledge

#### District 18[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Burkley Allen \- Incumbent Allen was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 19[edit]

Note: Incumbent Erica Gilmore was term-limited. She ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Keith Caldwell
* Amanda Harrison
* Freddie O'Connell
* Bill Shick

2016 →

<- 2014

2015 Elections for Mayors and City Councils

* * *

Municipal Elections
2015 Elections By State
2015 Elections By Date
Recent News

* * *

2015 Elections
Albuquerque • Anchorage
Arlington • Aurora • Boise
Boston • Buffalo
Charlotte • Chicago
Cleveland • Colorado Springs • Columbus • Dallas • Denver
Durham • El Paso
Ferguson • Fort Wayne
Fort Worth • Garland • Greensboro
Henderson • Hialeah
Houston • Indianapolis
Irving • Jacksonville
Kansas City • Laredo • Las Vegas • Lincoln • Los Angeles • Long Beach • Louisville • Madison
Memphis • Miami
Milwaukee • Nashville
North Las Vegas
Oklahoma City • Orlando
Philadelphia • Phoenix
Pittsburgh • Plano • Raleigh
Riverside • Sacramento
San Antonio
San Francisco
San Jose • Seattle
St. Louis • St. Paul
St. Petersburg • Tampa
Toledo • Tucson
Washington, D.C.
Wichita

* * *

Note: Cities listed in this box are those among the 100 largest in the United States that held elections in 2015.

#### District 20[edit]

Note: Incumbent Buddy Baker was term-limited. He ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Marisa Frank
* Mary Carolyn Roberts
* Frank Stabile

September 10 runoff election:

* Marisa Frank
* Mary Carolyn Roberts

#### District 21[edit]

Note: Incumbent Edith Taylor Langster was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Leah Dupree
* Edward Kindall

#### District 22[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Sheri Weiner \- Incumbent Weiner was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 23[edit]

Note: Incumbent Emily Evans was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Mina Johnson
* Timothy Lee
* Jim Roberts

September 10 runoff election:

* Mina Johnson
* Jim Roberts

#### District 24[edit]

Note: Incumbent Jason Holleman was term-limited. He ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Allen Grant
* Kathleen Murphy

Note: Although Nick McGregor appeared on the official candidate list, he did not appear on the election returns.

#### District 25[edit]

Note: Incumbent Sean McGuire was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Russ Pulley

#### District 26[edit]

Note: First term incumbent Chris Harmon announced his intentions not to seek re-election earlier in 2015.[7]
August 6 general election:

* Jeremy Elrod
* Luseni Kromah
* James Mitchell

#### District 27[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Davette Blalock \- Incumbent Blalock was elected to the council in 2011.
* Clement Ledbetter

#### District 28[edit]

Note: Incumbent Duane Dominy was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Daniel Lewis
* Melissa Smithson
* Tanaka Vercher

#### District 29[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Karen Y. Johnson \- Incumbent Johnson was elected to the council in 2011.
* Vicky Tataryn

#### District 30[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Jason Potts \- Incumbent Potts was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 31[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Fabian Bedne \- Incumbent Bedne was elected to the council in 2011.

#### District 32[edit]

August 6 general election:

* Jacobia Dowell \- Incumbent Dowell was elected to the council in 2011.
* Ronald A. Haskins
* William Kizzie

#### District 33[edit]

Note: Incumbent Robert Duvall was term-limited. He ran for election to an at-large seat.
August 6 general election:

* Sam Coleman
* Jimmy Gafford

#### District 34[edit]

Note: Incumbent Carter Todd was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Steve Butler
* Angie Henderson

#### District 35[edit]

Note: Incumbent Bo Mitchell was term-limited.
August 6 general election:

* Vic Lineweaver
* Dave Rosenberg
* Lonnie Spivak

### Election results[edit]

# All Districts Runoff[edit]

Nashville City Council At-large Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
John Cooper | 14.5% | 56,802
Erica Gilmore | 12.8% | 49,996
Bob Mendes | 10.5% | 41,160
Sharon W Hurt | 9.8% | 38,317
Jim Shulman | 9.6% | 37,676
Erin Coleman | 8.9% | 34,877
Karen Bennett | 8.5% | 33,052
Lonnell Matthews, Jr. | 8.4% | 32,807
Robert Duvall | 8.2% | 31,925
Jason Holleman | 8.1% | 31,763
Write-in  | 0.5% | 2,122
Total Votes | 223,951
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 1 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Loniel Greene, Jr. | 50.4% | 2,064
Nick Leonardo | 49.5% | 2,027
Write-in  | 0.2% | 8
Total Votes | 4,099
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 2 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
DeCosta Hastings | 54.5% | 1,349
Robert "Bobby" Stockard | 45.4% | 1,123
Write-in  | 0.1% | 3
Total Votes | 2,475
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 3 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Brenda Haywood | 54.9% | 1,675
Terry Clayton | 44.9% | 1,371
Write-in  | 0.2% | 6
Total Votes | 3,052
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 5 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Scott Davis Incumbent | 52.1% | 1,081
Sarah Martin | 47.7% | 990
Write-in  | 0.2% | 4
Total Votes | 2,075
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 8 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Nancy VanReece | 59.3% | 1,347
Chris Swann | 40.4% | 918
Write-in  | 0.4% | 8
Total Votes | 2,273
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 13 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Holly Huezo | 52.8% | 907
Mark Cole | 46.9% | 805
Write-in  | 0.3% | 6
Total Votes | 1,718
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 17 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Colby Sledge | 55.5% | 1,357
Paula Foster | 44.1% | 1,077
Write-in  | 0.4% | 9
Total Votes | 2,443
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 20 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mary Carolyn Roberts | 51.7% | 981
Marisa Frank | 48.1% | 912
Write-in  | 0.3% | 5
Total Votes | 1,898
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

Nashville City Council District 23 Runoff Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mina Johnson | 58.9% | 3,381
Jim Roberts | 40.6% | 2,327
Write-in  | 0.5% | 30
Total Votes | 5,738
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official runoff election results," accessed October 2, 2015

# At-large - District 20 General[edit]

Nashville City Council At-large General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Erica Gilmore | 9.6% | 36,675
John Cooper | 9.2% | 35,080
Bob Mendes | 6.5% | 24,581
Jim Shulman | 5.7% | 21,869
Sharon W Hurt | 5.3% | 20,086
Robert Duvall | 5% | 18,877
Lonnell Matthews, Jr. | 4.7% | 18,064
Karen Bennett | 4.6% | 17,390
Jason Holleman | 4.4% | 16,612
Erin Coleman | 4.3% | 16,557
Don Majors | 4.3% | 16,214
Adam Dread | 4.2% | 16,146
Walter Hunt | 4.2% | 16,090
Sandra Moore | 3.9% | 14,991
Buddy Baker | 3.3% | 12,695
Ronnie Greer, Sr. | 3.3% | 12,454
Ken Jakes | 3.1% | 11,922
Frank Harrison | 2.5% | 9,659
John Lasiter | 2.4% | 9,151
Elizabeth Dachowski | 2.2% | 8,525
Phillip Joseph Hostettler, Jr. | 2% | 7,738
Jody Ball | 1.5% | 5,709
James Keeton | 1.1% | 4,026
Leroy Johnny Ellis | 1% | 3,880
Martin Holsinger | 0.6% | 2,245
Al Carota | 0.6% | 2,097
Write-in  | 0.4% | 1,374
Total Votes | 138,291
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 1 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Nick Leonardo | 32.8% | 1,363
Loniel Greene, Jr. | 31.4% | 1,307
Ruby Baker | 13% | 541
Sylvester Armor | 7.6% | 317
Roosevelt Williamson | 6.3% | 264
Rueben Dockery | 4.1% | 170
John H. Montgomery | 2.4% | 101
Jonathan Richardson | 2.2% | 91
Write-in  | 0.1% | 5
Total Votes | 3,792
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 2 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
DeCosta Hastings | 38.9% | 1,059
Robert "Bobby" Stockard | 34.9% | 949
Carrie Searcy | 19% | 516
Laura Fortier | 5.2% | 142
Danavan Hylton | 1.8% | 49
Write-in  | 0.1% | 4
Total Votes | 2,715
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 3 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Brenda Haywood | 47.7% | 1,480
Terry Clayton | 27.1% | 841
Timothy R. Coleman | 24.9% | 772
Write-in  | 0.2% | 7
Total Votes | 3,100
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 4 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Robert Swope | 53.5% | 1,662
Peter Tuttle | 46.2% | 1,435
Write-in  | 0.4% | 11
Total Votes | 3,108
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 5 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Scott Davis Incumbent | 40.2% | 834
Sarah Martin | 35.1% | 729
Pam Murray | 24.6% | 511
Write-in  | 0.1% | 2
Total Votes | 2,076
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 6 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Brett A. Withers | 61.7% | 2,149
Peter Westerholm Incumbent | 37.9% | 1,320
Write-in  | 0.4% | 14
Total Votes | 3,483
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 7 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Anthony Davis Incumbent | 55% | 1,724
Stephen Clements | 24.6% | 771
Randy Reed | 20.1% | 629
Write-in  | 0.3% | 10
Total Votes | 3,134
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 8 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Nancy VanReece | 39% | 871
Chris Swann | 25% | 558
Ramona L. Gholston | 13.7% | 307
Danny Williams | 8.9% | 199
Robert Sawyers, Sr. | 8.4% | 187
Nina Ground | 4.7% | 104
Write-in  | 0.4% | 10
Total Votes | 2,122
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 9 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Bill Pridemore Incumbent | 64.1% | 1,127
Roderick Mc Daniel | 35.7% | 628
Write-in  | 0.2% | 4
Total Votes | 1,759
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 13 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Holly Huezo | 45.3% | 686
Mark Cole | 37.3% | 565
Furtesha Carter | 16.9% | 256
Write-in  | 0.6% | 9
Total Votes | 1,516
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 15 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Jeff Syracuse | 68.6% | 2,050
James B. Garrett | 31.3% | 934
Write-in  | 0.1% | 4
Total Votes | 2,988
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 16 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mike Freeman | 56.3% | 1,067
Tony Tenpenny Incumbent | 43.3% | 821
Write-in  | 0.4% | 7
Total Votes | 1,895
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 17 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Colby Sledge | 37.7% | 938
Paula Foster | 28.1% | 700
Chris Cotton | 20.9% | 520
Tony Watson | 13.1% | 325
Write-in  | 0.3% | 7
Total Votes | 2,490
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 19 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Freddie O'Connell | 54.3% | 900
Amanda Harrison | 19.4% | 322
Keith Caldwell | 14.3% | 237
Bill Shick | 11.5% | 190
Write-in  | 0.5% | 8
Total Votes | 1,657
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 20 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mary Carolyn Roberts | 42.7% | 757
Marisa Frank | 37% | 657
Frank Stabile | 20% | 354
Write-in  | 0.3% | 6
Total Votes | 1,774
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

# District 21 - District 35 General[edit]

Nashville City Council District 21 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Edward Kindall | 57.6% | 1,001
Leah Dupree | 42.2% | 733
Write-in  | 0.2% | 3
Total Votes | 1,737
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 23 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mina Johnson | 42.6% | 2,162
Jim Roberts | 30.5% | 1,551
Write-in  | 14.2% | 719
Timothy Lee | 12.8% | 648
Total Votes | 5,080
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 24 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Kathleen Murphy | 56.3% | 2,680
Allen Grant | 43.4% | 2,063
Write-in  | 0.3% | 14
Total Votes | 4,757
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 26 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Jeremy Elrod | 64.4% | 1,596
James Mitchell | 27% | 669
Luseni Kromah | 8.4% | 207
Write-in  | 0.2% | 6
Total Votes | 2,478
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 27 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Davette Blalock Incumbent | 61.6% | 1,094
Clement Ledbetter | 38% | 674
Write-in  | 0.5% | 8
Total Votes | 1,776
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 28 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Tanaka Vercher | 54.5% | 849
Melissa Smithson | 38.5% | 599
Daniel Lewis | 6.9% | 107
Write-in  | 0.1% | 2
Total Votes | 1,557
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 29 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Karen Y. Johnson Incumbent | 81.8% | 1,988
Vicky Tataryn | 18% | 437
Write-in  | 0.2% | 4
Total Votes | 2,429
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 32 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Jacobia Dowell Incumbent | 64.9% | 1,039
William Kizzie | 26.8% | 429
Ronald A. Haskins | 8.1% | 130
Write-in  | 0.2% | 3
Total Votes | 1,601
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 33 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Sam Coleman | 71% | 1,730
Jimmy Gafford | 28.7% | 699
Write-in  | 0.2% | 6
Total Votes | 2,435
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 34 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Angie Henderson | 54.9% | 2,973
Steve Butler | 45% | 2,441
Write-in  | 0.1% | 5
Total Votes | 5,419
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

Nashville City Council District 35 General Election, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Dave Rosenberg | 60.4% | 2,530
Lonnie Spivak | 22.2% | 931
Vic Lineweaver | 17.2% | 722
Write-in  | 0.2% | 7
Total Votes | 4,190
Source: City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015

## Districts map[edit]

Below is a map of Nashville's council districts in 2015. There were 35 districts. Each district elected its own representative on the council. Click the map to return to the candidate list.

## Election rules[edit]

Table of Contents

* * *

List of candidates MayorVice MayorMetro council
Districts map

* * *

Election rules

* * *

Ballot questions

* * *

Issues

* * *

The section below briefly highlights Nashville election laws that were current as of June 2015. For more information on Nashville's local election procedures, consult section 15.02 of the Nashville City Charter.

### Mayor, vice-mayor and council[edit]

In the mayoral, vice-mayoral and council district races, the Nashville charter requires a candidate to receive a majority, or 50 percent plus 1, of the votes in the general election in order to be declared a winner and to avoid a runoff. The two candidates who receive the highest number of the votes in the general election proceed to the runoff election.

### At-large[edit]

The rules are different for the five at-large seats. For these seats, the charter also requires candidates to receive a majority. However, a "majority" in this case is defined as "one-fifth of the aggregate number of votes received by all candidates for the office of councilmen-at-large." Therefore, if five candidates each garner one-fifth of the total number of votes in the general election, the runoff election is called off and those candidates are declared the winners. But, if fewer than five candidates receive one-fifth, a runoff election will take place for a number of candidates equal to "twice the number of vacancies remaining to be filled." The candidates competing in the runoff would include those who earned the highest number of votes without receiving a majority.

## Ballot questions[edit]

### Metro council term limit increase, Amendment 1[edit]

See also: Nashville-Davidson Metro Council Term Limit Increase, Amendment 1 (August 2015)

A measure to increase city council term limits from two to three terms by 2023 was on the ballot for voters within the limits of the consolidated city-county metro of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, on August 6, 2015. It was defeated.

If approved, this measure would have extended council term limits from two to three terms. The change would have been fully implemented by 2023.[8]

### Metro council member reduction and term limit increase initiative, Amendment 2[edit]

See also: Nashville-Davidson Metro Council Member Reduction and Term Limit Extension Ballot Initiative, Amendment 2 (August 2015)

A measure to change the form of the metro council was on the ballot for voters within the limits of the consolidated city-county metro of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, on August 6, 2015. It was defeated.

If approved, this measure would have reduced the number of metro council members from 40—a representative for each of the city's 35 districts and five at-large council members—to 27. It would also have extended council term limits from two to three terms. In 2015, the metro's 40-member council was the third-largest council in the country, falling under only New York and Chicago. Nashville was the 25th largest city in the U.S. according to 2013 census data.

### Local-hire mandate for public projects, Amendment 3[edit]

See also: Nashville-Davidson Metro Local-Hire Mandate for Taxpayer-Funded Projects Initiative, Amendment 3 (August 2015)

A measure to establish a local-hire mandate for large, public projects was on the ballot for voters within the limits of the consolidated city-county metro of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, on August 6, 2015. It was approved.

This measure required that a minimum of 40 percent of work hours for any project funded by more than $100,000 in metro taxpayer money would have to be from local hires from within the county rather than from any in-state workers from outside of the county. Moreover, the amendment was designed to require that "a significant effort be made to ensure" that at least 10 percent of "Total Construction Worker Hours are performed by low income residents of Davidson County."[9][10]

The amendment excepted work hours from out-of-state workers from the calculation. Thus, for example, if a project took 200,000 work hours and 100,000 of them were from out-of-state workers, only 40,000 of them would have to be from local workers, and only 10,000 of them would have to be from low-income workers. This exception for out-of-state workers was provided to avoid conflict with the Privileges and Immunities Clause of the U.S. Constitution.[9][10]

Supporters argued that Amendment 3 would ensure that jobs, economic growth and tax revenue stayed local.[11]

Opponents argued that the measure would be impractical and would make public projects more expensive, hurting the taxpayers and the economy. They also argued that the amendment violated constitutional prohibitions against employment discrimination.[12]

### "Ban the Box" initiative [edit]

See also: Nashville-Davidson Metro "Ban the Box" Initiative to Remove Criminal Background Questions from Metro Job Applications (August 2015)

A measure to prohibit questions about criminal backgrounds on metro job applications did not make the ballot for voters within the limits of the consolidated city-county metro of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, on August 6, 2015. Petitioners failed to collect enough signatures to qualify this measure for the ballot.[8]

If approved, this measure -- which was referred to as "Ban the Box" \-- would have required the Nashville metro government to remove from initial application forms and procedures any questions about the criminal background of applicants to metro jobs, allowing applicants to sue if this law was not followed. The initiative would have granted exceptions in the cases of certain jobs for which criminal background checks are required by state or federal law or for which a civil service commission determined that information about an applicant's criminal background was necessary to protect public safety. The initiative was designed to prevent screening applicants based on prior convictions, but it would have allowed the criminal history of an applicant to be brought up farther along in the hiring process during job interviews.[9]

"Ban the Box," the slogan adopted by initiative proponents, referred to the line and check box on standard applications that asked about the applicant's criminal history. This initiative would have removed that question from the application form.[9]

### Marijuana decriminalization [edit]

See also: Nashville-Davidson County Metro Marijuana Decriminalization Initiative (August 2015)

A Marijuana Decriminalization Initiative was not on the ballot for voters within the limits of the consolidated city-county metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, on August 6, 2015. The initiative failed to qualify for the ballot because the group behind the initiative did not submit any petitions by the deadline on May 18, 2015.[8]

If approved, this initiative -- which was being sponsored by the Tennessee branch of NORML \-- would have amended the metro charter to prevent any metro tax dollars from being used for the criminal prosecution of an adult for the possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana.[13][14]

The initiative was designed to work around state law, which outlawed all marijuana use and possession. The proposed Nashville initiative would have simply prohibited the city-county government from using any public funds to enforce or prosecute against marijuana possession, rather than trying to legalize it, which would have put the local laws in conflict with state law. The initiative also contained a "private right of action" clause designed to provide citizens with standing to sue the metro government if it violated the initiative, receiving, if the suit was successful, $1,000 in damages and compensation for all attorney's fees and court costs.[13]

## Issues[edit]

### Coping with urban growth[edit]

Nashville's 2015 elections came amidst one of the city's largest population and economic growth spurts since its consolidation with Davidson County in 1963. Nashville's population grew almost seven percent between 2010 and 2014. With close to 650,000 residents, it's the 25th-largest city in the country.[15] Nashville's Metropolitan Planning Organization projected in a 2015 report that the city's population could top 750,000 by 2035. The greater Nashville region could skyrocket to over 2.6 million, the report said.[16] Economic growth accompanied this growing population. In 2014, Nashville had one of the fastest growing economies in the country and boasted the third-highest gross metropolitan product (GMP) rate in the nation, just behind Austin, Texas, and San Jose, California.[17]

Urban growth in Nashville brought with it concerns over transit and affordable housing, and most of the city's 2015 mayoral candidates made these issues their top priorities. But the candidates differed in how they said they would manage growth-related problems as mayor. Below, you can read about how each of Nashville's 2015 mayoral candidates commented on issues related to population and economic growth.

Click [show] to read comments from Nashville's 2015 mayoral candidates on population and economic growth.

Megan Barry

| Megan Barry said that she would actively seek out federal funding to mold a "bold vision" for the city's transit future.[18] She also advocated for creating a metropolitan office of transportation. On her campaign website, she stated, "In order to sharpen our focus, the vision for transit should reside in the mayor’s office and I will create an office of transportation responsible for coordinating metro departments and working with local, regional, state, and federal agencies to streamline the process for improving and building new sidewalks, roads, and mass-transit options."[19] On the topic of growth in general, Barry stated that she would seek to balance growth with preservation, saying, "As mayor I will aim to balance the seductive appeal of growth and development with the preservation of those things about Nashville that make us so willing to make our lives and livelihoods here."[20]

|

Charles Robert Bone also advocated for balance, and in a series of videos on his campaign website he discussed "smart and targeted growth that protects what makes Nashville, and protects the people who have made Nashville’s many communities home." On transportation, Bone stressed the need for a transit system that is multi-modal and connects "all of our communities and neighborhoods."[21] He also argued for a "long-term transit vision," saying, "We need both an 18-month plan as well an 18-year plan. This must be based on a high-capacity, high-performance regional transportation system."[22] |

Charles Robert Bone

|

David Fox

| David Fox advised a more cautious approach to Nashville's recent growth, telling The Tennessean in May 2015, "I believe for the first time in our history, we have reached a time when we could be victims of our own success. Rapid growth does come with a cost, and if we're not careful, the growth that has made Nashville so good could end up consuming what makes us special in the first place."[23] On his website, he stated, "'The Nashville Way' is all about not becoming the next Atlanta or L.A. when it comes to traffic, sprawl and the loss of our Southern small-town feel." He advocated for investment in local Nashville neighborhoods and warned against a "one-size-fits-all" transit strategy, saying, "The key is to avoid one-size-fits-all thinking and to tailor transit solutions to the communities they serve."[24]

|

Bill Freeman voiced concerns over ensuring equal participation in both covering the costs of growth as well as enjoying the benefits of growth. In February 2015, he told the Nashville Business Journal, "We need to be sure everybody [in the region] is participating in the cost of these things, just as everybody is participating in the benefits. We cannot continue to fund all of the regional improvements and pay for them on the backs of Davidson County taxpayers."[25] Freeman featured a six-step process for addressing affordable housing in Nashville on his campaign website. He argued for an approach to transit problems from a regional perspective, saying, "The mass-transit solution is not a Davidson County solution. You get everyone around the table, whether that's 20 or 25 mayors, and you begin to work on a regional solution that is a much bigger plan than what we worked on with the Amp." The Amp was a bus rapid transit proposal that the city placed on hold in January 2015.[26] |

Bill Freeman

|

Howard Gentry

| Howard Gentry placed an emphasis on maintaining affordability in Nashville and pushed for further development of already affordable areas. At a candidate forum in June 2015, he used his own neighborhood of Bordeaux as an example, saying, "Unfortunately, and again it’s just a reality, a lot of people don’t really want to live in Bordeaux, a lot of people don’t want to live in Antioch [a neighborhood in southeastern Davidson County]. And people feel like there’s something wrong with those areas. And the reality is, there’s nothing wrong with those areas."[27] Elsewhere he stated, "to make Nashville work for everyone, people need to be able to live, work and raise their families all across the city in safe, decent homes. Right now, that's becoming harder and harder. It's time we stop the trend of pushing people out of established neighborhoods and forcing them to the fringes."[28] On the issue of Nashville's future transit plans, he stated in March 2015, "I'm not going to sit here just because I'm running for mayor and tell you that I have the answer. I don't. But the answer is within our government. It's within our city. It's within our community. And we're going to come together, and we're going to create a real plan and we're going to begin that plan."[22]

|

Jeremy Kane emphasized a plan for continuing Nashville's economic growth centered on "four I's": "It's creating an innovative government that really allows us to continue to grow with the city, grow with business and grow with the changes happening in education and health care. Infrastructure, everything from schools to sewers to broadband … but always with the transit system. … Making smart investments would be the third one and really being able to be data driven to understand when we spend money, why we're spending that money and what we want it to achieve. And the last one is the international component. The next century will be about the connections we forge with the international economy."[29] Kane sees a close connection between the issues of growth, housing affordability, transit and education, saying, "To have a higher-quality school system, we have to have a higher-quality comprehensive transit system with connections to affordable housing."[30] |

Jeremy Kane

|

Linda Eskind Rebrovick

| Linda Eskind Rebrovick expressed a need to help ensure that all Nashvillians can find affordable housing amidst the city's growth spurt, saying on her campaign website, "As our city grows, we must build a Nashville that is livable for all families and a community in which everyone shares in the benefits. Our city is only as strong as the fabric of our neighborhoods, which is why as mayor I will be dedicated to making all 14 neighborhoods a hub of activity and progress by ensuring that every resident has access to housing they can afford."[31] She listed a three-point housing plan on her website, focused on attracting younger residents to the city, increasing affordability options for working families and dealing with homelessness. On formulating a transit strategy, she stressed community involvement, saying in March 2015, "Whatever we do, we need to get involvement from the community," Rebrovick said. "We need the input because we need to know who's going to use what. Which transportation do people want to take? Then once we know that, then we go figure out how to fund it versus the other way around."[22] Rebrovick also released a transportation policy book, which can be viewed here.

|

### Education[edit]

Nashville's 2015 mayoral candidates articulated different visions for the future of education in the city. Much of the conversation hinged on education funding, academic performance and the role of charter schools. You can read about the stances of Nashville's 2015 mayoral candidates and comments they made on education below.

Click [show] to read comments from Nashville's 2015 mayoral candidates on education.

Megan Barry

| Megan Barry argued for establishing a balance in how the city approaches district and charter schools, saying, "The policy conversation ... is not about whether we like or don't like charter schools, but about how they fit constructively and effectively within a public school system that must take all comers, offer desirable options for parents, dramatically improve student outcomes, and live within its means." Barry also stressed the importance of funding, saying, "Money won't automatically buy success, but let's face it: many key elements of success do cost money," and she has advocated for a close relationship between the mayor's office and the school board. On her campaign website, she stated, "Our school system is governed by an elected school board, as it should be, and that does naturally limit the mayor's ability to directly influence education policy. But "limit" doesn't mean "neuter." As the architect of the city's budget the mayor has an ongoing critical opportunity and obligation to shape the school system's approach and priorities."[32]

|

Charles Robert Bone expressed an openness to working with charter schools, while at the same underscoring the role of district education, saying, "If everything goes right for the pro-charter movement, which I'm prepared to help them, that's gonna be 10 to 12 percent of our kids. What do we do, at the end of the day, about the other 75,000 kids, 60,000 of which qualify for free or reduced lunch, 45,000 of which are not reading at grade level and 20,000 of which do not speak English as their first language? I'm OK with charter schools, but that's just a small part of the answer, it's not the entire answer."[33] He voiced some frustration with the prominent role that charter schools play in conversations about education in Nashville, stating, "One of the things that's been frustrating to me is I believe we've allowed the charter school issue to hijack the public education debate in this city."[34] |

Charles Robert Bone

|

David Fox

| David Fox was supportive of expanding charter schools in Nashville and he criticized candidates who expressed concerns about the prominent role of charter schools in local debates about education in Nashville. In April, he stated, "When candidates lament that talk of charter schools is 'hijacking' the education conversation, keep in mind that nine of the 10 top-performing middle schools, according to the school board's 2014 rubric, are charters. They are blowing the doors off."[35] Fox, however, still pushed for a balance between charter and district schools, saying, "Let’s boost traditional public schools to higher performance and encourage the formation of more successful nonprofit charter schools, with transportation provided, so all students can attend a great school regardless of their zip code."[36] Fox was a former chairman of the Metropolitan Nashville Public School Board.[37]

|

Bill Freeman voiced concerns over the role of charter schools in education debates in Nashville. He said, "We've wasted a lot of time in this fight between charters and traditional public education. There's been a lot of wasted motion and arguing over one versus the other. I happen to think that they both need improvement. They both contribute to the solution ... I think the danger in this charter-versus-public school discussion is we focus 90 percent of our energy on charter schools when 92 percent of our kids are in traditional public schools."[34] Freeman was an advocate for community schools. On his campaign website, he stated, "expanding and implementing Community Schools, which would offer wraparound services for students. These schools would include before and after school programs, expanded meal services, and health care for students. These services are not just for the students, they are also offered for the students’ families and the entire community."[38] |

Bill Freeman

|

Howard Gentry

| Howard Gentry took a neutral stance on the issue of charter and district schools. He said, "I'm not in the for or against category." He also stated, "There are a variety of needs within our public educational system. Charters have a place in that. The thing is, from my standpoint, it's just so important that charters that are brought online are charters that actually fit in those areas of need."[34] On his campaign website, he emphasized that he was the only mayoral candidate whose children attend Nashville public schools, saying, "Howard is a proud product of Nashville public schools and is the only mayoral candidate whose children are educated in our city’s public schools."[39]

|

Jeremy Kane was supportive of expanding charter schools in Nashville and closing underperforming district schools, saying, "Those two things need to continue with the next mayor, the next superintendent and the next school board." According to The Tennessean, Kane has expressed interests in attracting charter school operators and "high-performing principals of traditional schools" to Nashville neighborhoods.[34] On his campaign website, he stated, "The standards he will set as mayor will not be focused on 'teaching to the tests,' but rooted in high academic achievement and expanding before and after-school programs in partnership with our city's vast network of neighborhood groups, nonprofits, and communities of faith." Kane was the founder of LEAD Academy, a charter school in Nashville.[40] |

Jeremy Kane

|

Linda Eskind Rebrovick

| Linda Eskind Rebrovick emphasized a comprehensive approach to education issues in Nashville, saying, "Although charter schools are a part of the larger solution, the discussion about charter schools cannot be a divisive debate between two competing sides, but must be elevated to focus on improving all Nashville public schools immediately."[34] On her campaign website, she said, "I am a proud product of Nashville public schools. I simply wouldn’t be where I am today without the education I was fortunate to receive at H.G Hill and Hillwood High School, and that’s given me a unique perspective on a public school system that is near and dear to my heart."[41]

|

### Metro council size[edit]

See also: Nashville-Davidson Metro Council Member Reduction and Term Limit Extension Ballot Initiative, Amendment 2 (August 2015)

Nashville's mayoral candidates have been generally opposed to a ballot measure proposing to reduce the size of the metro council from 40 to 27, though some have been more vocal about it than others. David Fox, Linda Eskind Rebrovick and Jeremy Kane have taken middle-of-the-road approaches to the issue. Fox said, "I’m agnostic about it," while Rebrovick stated, "I actually can see it both ways." Kane, on the other hand, asked "Is this the structure we need for the next 50 years? That’s not just for me to decide. The entire Nashville voting population should decide."

Charles Robert Bone has been more supportive of maintaining the council's current size, saying, "Mayor Fulton always used to say if you can’t get 21 out of 40 votes, it’s probably not worth doing. So that’s not something that I lay awake at night thinking about."

By contrast, Bill Freeman, Megan Barry and Howard Gentry have taken firmer stances in opposition to the measure. Freeman, for instance, noted, "the thing that I like about the size of the Metro Council, even though it’s the third largest Metro Council in the country is that you’re connected to your council person." Barry and Gentry made similar statements. Barry said, "By making the council smaller, you increase the number of constituents that a district council member has to serves [sic] and that doesn’t help." Gentry said, "It is more important now than probably ever that all facets, all communities, all people in this city have the opportunity to be represented at the highest level and heard."[42]

### iVoters videos[edit]

iVoters.com created a series of video responses from Nashville’s 2015 mayoral candidates. In the videos, each candidate answers two questions and has 60 seconds to respond and may not speak about another candidate or campaign in their answer. The two questions were:

* 1) What is the biggest obstacle facing Nashville today?
* 2) What would you do to make Nashville a better place to live?

The videos are listed in the order that Ballotpedia received them.

Charles Robert Bone

Question 1

Question 2

Howard Gentry

Question 1

Question 2

Jeremy Kane

Question 2

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Nashville Tennessee Election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Nashville, Tennessee municipal elections, 2015 - Google News

## See also[edit]

* United States municipal elections, 2015
* Nashville, Tennessee

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* City of Nashville
* City of Nashville Election Commission \- 2015 Candidate Petition List
* Nashville City Charter and Code
* City of Nashville Election Commission \- Official general election results
* City of Nashville Election Commission \- Official runoff election results

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ City of Nashville, "Davidson County Election Commission," accessed December 4, 2014
2. ↑ City of Nashville Election Commission, "Official general election results," accessed September 15, 2015
3. ↑ The Tennessean, "Bill Freeman to run for Nashville mayor," December 19, 2014
4. ↑ The Tennessean, "4 mayoral candidates now past $1M in fundraising," April 13, 2015
5. ↑ The Tennessean, "David Briley to run for Nashville vice mayor," March 21, 2014
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Nashville Scene, "Josh Stites Won't Seek Re-Election to Metro Council," February 3, 2015
7. ↑ The Tennessean, "Metro Council poised for historic turnover," April 20, 2015
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Tennessean, "'Ban the Box' referendum falls short for August ballot," June 13, 2015
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 The Tennessean, "Marijuana push falls short, but 3 other referendums likely," May 19, 2015
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Nashville Elections Office, "Sample Ballot for Election on August 6, 2015," accessed August 3, 2015
11. ↑ Nashville Scene, "Don't skip these additional matters — Council size and term limits, local hiring, vice mayor — once you've voted in the top races," July 30, 2015
12. ↑ Beacon, "Discrimination in Davidson County," July 20, 2015
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Tennessean, "Referendum on marijuana prosecution sought in Nashville," January 15, 2015
14. ↑ The Tennessean, "Marijuana group sues to use online signatures for petition," January 21, 2015
15. ↑ The Tennessean, "Census: Nashville just shy of Boston in population," May 21, 2015
16. ↑ Nashville MPO, "Regional Profile," accessed July 23, 2015
17. ↑ The Tennessean, "Is Nashville the nation’s next $100 billion city?" June 20, 2014
18. ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville mayoral hopefuls share vision on transit, housing," May 22, 2015
19. ↑ Megan Barry, "Transit," accessed July 23, 2015
20. ↑ Megan Barry, "Economy," accessed July 23, 2015
21. ↑ Bone for Mayor, "Transportation," accessed July 23, 2015
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 The Tennessean, "Mayoral hopefuls push regional transit after Amp demise," March 22, 2015
23. ↑ The Tennessean, "David Fox goes against the grain in mayoral race," May 26, 2015
24. ↑ Fox for Nashville, "Infrastructure for a Growing City," accessed June 23, 2015
25. ↑ Nashville Business Journal, "Nashville mayor's race: Bill Freeman, Co-founder and manager, Freeman Webb Cos.," February 6, 2015
26. ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville MTA: Amp is dead," January 22, 2015
27. ↑ Nashville Public Radio, "Nashville Mayoral Candidate: We Have Affordable Housing, Just Not Where Everyone Wants To Live," June 19, 2015
28. ↑ The Tennessean, "Affordable housing emerges as key issue in mayor's race," March 15, 2015
29. ↑ Nashville Business Journal, "Nashville mayor's race: Jeremy Kane, Founder, LEAD Public schools," February 6, 2015
30. ↑ Nashville Scene, "Mayoral candidate Jeremy Kane pounds the pavement seeking a constituency beyond charter schools," February 5, 2015
31. ↑ Linda for Nashville, "Affordable Housing," accessed July 23, 2015
32. ↑ MeganBarry.com, "Education," accessed July 27, 2015
33. ↑ Nashville Scene, "With his seven-generation ties and knowledge of civic workings, Charles Robert Bone aims to be mayor of 'all' Nashville," January 15, 2015
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 The Tennessean, "Mayoral candidates avoid sides in charter fight," March 9, 2015
35. ↑ The Tennessean, "Fox takes own path on education in mayor's race," April 25, 2015
36. ↑ FoxforNashville.com, "Creating the Best Educated City in the South," accessed July 27, 2015
37. ↑ The Tennessean, "David Fox officially joins Nashville mayor’s race," July 21, 2014
38. ↑ Freeman2015.com, "Education," accessed July 27, 2015
39. ↑ HowardGentryforMayor.com, "Meet Howard," accessed July 27, 2015
40. ↑ KaneforMayor.com, "Issues," accessed July 27, 2015
41. ↑ LindaforNasvhille.com, "Education," accessed July 27, 2015
42. ↑ Nashville Public Radio, "Candidates For Mayor Either Don’t Want To Shrink Metro Council Or Don’t Care," May 18, 2015

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