(WBIR – MADISONVILLE) The Tennessee Court of Appeals upheld a court ruling that voided the August 2014 Monroe County Sheriff's election.
Last October, retired judge Don R. Ash ordered that Randy White will not serve as Monroe County sheriff, despite winning the election by popular vote in August.
Days after the August election, incumbent Bill Bivens filed a lawsuit against White and the Monroe County Election Commission, citing that White wasn't certified to be on the ballot.
Bivens received information indicating that White lacked the necessary qualifications to run as a candidate, which requires at least three years as a full-time law enforcement officer.
White received 5,572 votes in the August election, while Bivens received 4,869 votes.
White challenged incumbent Bivens and won the general election by about 700 votes.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Judges John W. McClarty Jr., D. Michael Swiney and Thomas R. Frierson II affirmed Ash's decision.
The Monroe County Commission unanimously appointed Tommy Jones II as the Monroe County Sheriff in December.
Jones will serve as sheriff until the August 2016 election.
The Monroe County Primary elections are in March and the general election is in August. After the August general election, a sheriff will be elected to fill the remaining two years of the 2014-2018 term.
