Mayoral elections in Knoxville, Tennessee

Mayoral elections in Knoxville are held every four years to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee.

All Knoxville municipal elections are required to be non-partisan,[1] but candidates can be affiliated with a political party. Knoxville uses a two-round system, where election runoffs are held if no candidate obtains the majority of the vote.

1983

1983 Knoxville mayoral election

← 1979September 27, 19831987 →
 
CandidateKyle TestermanArthur M. "Smiley" Blanchard
Popular vote19,4037,448
Percentage62.75%24.09%

 
CandidateLowell W. Ramsey
Popular vote2,619
Percentage8.47%

Mayor before election

Randy Tyree
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Kyle Testerman
Republican

The 1983 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 27, 1983, to elect the next mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. It saw the election of former Republican Mayor Kyle Testerman.

Results[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanKyle Testerman 19,403 62.75
NonpartisanArthur M. "Smiley" Blanchard7,44824.09
NonpartisanLowell W. Ramsey2,6198.47
NonpartisanRobert L. "Bob" Cheek9733.15
NonpartisanArnold Joseph Zandi2400.78
NonpartisanKarl Paul1850.60
NonpartisanClyde Ledford530.17
Nonpartisanunknown candidate10
Total votes30,922 100
Republican gain from Democratic

1987

1987 Knoxville mayoral election

← 1983September 29, 1987 (first round)
November 3, 1987 (runoff)
1991 →
 
CandidateVictor AsheRandy Tyree
First round10,765
43.85%
5,739
23.38%
Runoff18,892
54.35%
15,853
45.61%

 
CandidateJean TeagueCasey C. Jones
First round5,210
21.22%
2,543
10.36%
RunoffEliminatedEliminated

Mayor before election

Kyle Testerman
Republican

Elected Mayor

Victor Ashe
Republican

The 1987 Knoxville mayoral election took place on November 3, 1987, to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections and was officially nonpartisan. It saw the election of Victor Ashe.

Since no candidate secured a majority in the first round, a runoff election was held between the top two finishers, with Ashe defeating former mayor Randy Tyree.

Results

First round

First round results[3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanVictor Ashe 10,765 43.85
NonpartisanRandy Tyree 5,739 23.38
NonpartisanJean Teague5,21021.22
NonpartisanCasey C. Jones2,54310.36
NonpartisanLouis E. Royal1190.49
NonpartisanJames T. "Jim" Garland840.34
NonpartisanJames Wesley Gilliam450.18
NonpartisanBoyce T. McCall430.18
NonpartisanKyle C. Testerman20.01
Total votes24,550

Runoff

Runoff results[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanVictor Ashe 18,892 54.35
NonpartisanRandy Tyree15,85345.61
Write-inJean Teague40.01
Write-inC. Howard Bozeman20.01
Write-inWillie Hambree10.00
Write-inHarry E. Hodge10.00
Write-inSteve Kidwell10.00
Write-inLouis A. McElroy II10.00
Write-inRon Payne10.00
Write-inE. R. Shultz10.00
Write-inKyle Testerman10.00
Write-inRobt O. Watson10.00
Total votes34,759

1991

1991 Knoxville mayoral election

← 1987September 24, 19911995 →
 
CandidateVictor AsheC. Robertson
Popular vote11,6093,684
Percentage72.20%22.91%

Mayor before election

Victor Ashe
Republican

Elected Mayor

Victor Ashe
Republican

The 1991 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 24, 1991, to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. It saw the re-election of Republican Mayor Victor Ashe.

Results[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanVictor Ashe (Incumbent) 11,609 72.20
NonpartisanC. Robertson3,68422.91
NonpartisanS. Evans7864.89
Total votes16,079 100

1995

1995 Knoxville mayoral election

← 1991September 26, 19951999 →
 
CandidateVictor AsheIvan Harmon
Popular vote12,4176,659
Percentage63.70%34.16%

Mayor before election

Victor Ashe
Republican

Elected Mayor

Victor Ashe
Republican

The 1995 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 26, 1995, to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. It saw the re-election of Republican Mayor Victor Ashe.

Results[6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanVictor Ashe (Incumbent) 12,417 63.70
NonpartisanIvan Harmon6,65934.16
NonpartisanG. Hamilton3031.55
NonpartisanR. Watson1130.58
Total votes19,492 100

1999

1999 Knoxville mayoral election

← 1995September 28, 19992003 →
 
CandidateVictor AsheRandy Tyree
Popular vote10,2485,613
Percentage55.99%30.67%

 
CandidateDanny Mayfield
Popular vote2,145
Percentage11.72%

Mayor before election

Victor Ashe
Republican

Elected Mayor

Victor Ashe
Republican

The 1999 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 29, 1999, to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. It saw the re-election of Republican Mayor Victor Ashe, who defeated former Democratic Mayor Randy Tyree.

Results[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanVictor Ashe (Incumbent) 10,248 55.99
NonpartisanRandy Tyree5,61330.67
NonpartisanDanny Mayfield2,14511.72
NonpartisanG. Hamilton Sr.1140.62
NonpartisanJ. Madden1040.57
NonpartisanB. McCall800.44
Total votes18,304 100

2003

2003 Knoxville mayoral election

← 1999September 30, 20032007 →
 
CandidateBill HaslamMadeline Rogero
Popular vote15,73013,864
Percentage52.64%46.39%

Mayor before election

Victor Ashe
Republican

Elected Mayor

Bill Haslam
Republican

The 2003 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 30, 2003, to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. Republican candidate Bill Haslam defeated Democratic candidate Madeline Rogero with 52.6% of the vote.

Haslam reached a majority in the initial round of the election, forgoing the need for a runoff to be held.

Results

Results[8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanBill Haslam 15,730 52.64
NonpartisanMadeline Rogero13,86446.39
NonpartisanGeorge Alexander Hamilton, Sr.1660.56
NonpartisanBoyce McCall1230.41
Total votes29,883 100

2007

2007 Knoxville mayoral election

← 2003September 25, 20072011 →
 
CandidateBill HaslamIsa Infante
Popular vote5,728667
Percentage87.32%10.17%

Mayor before election

Bill Haslam
Republican

Elected Mayor

Bill Haslam
Republican

The 2007 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 25, 2007 to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections; it was officially nonpartisan. It saw the re-election of incumbent Republican Bill Haslam.

Haslam reached a majority in the initial round of the election, forgoing the need for a runoff to be held.

Results

Results[9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanBill Haslam (incumbent) 5,728 87.32
NonpartisanIsa Infante66710.17
NonpartisanMark Saroff1652.52
Total votes6,560

2011

2011 Knoxville mayoral election

← 2007September 27, 2011 (first round)
November 8, 2011 (runoff)
2015 →
 
CandidateMadeline RogeroMark Padgett
First round8,242
49.90%
3,741
22.65%
Runoff12,441
58.50%
8,827
41.50%

 
CandidateIvan Harmon
First round3,537
22.33%
RunoffEliminated

Mayor before election

Daniel Brown (acting)

Elected Mayor

Madeline Rogero
Democratic

The 2011 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 27 and November 8, 2011, to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections and was officially nonpartisan. It saw the election of Democratic candidate Madeline Rogero.

Serving as acting mayor, following the resignation of Republican mayor Bill Haslam to serve as Governor of Tennessee and in the months before the individual elected in this race would take office, was Daniel Brown, who did not seek a full term as mayor.

Since no candidate secured a majority in the first round, a runoff was held between the top two finishers.

The election saw Rogero become the first woman elected mayor of Knoxville. She is also the first woman to be elected mayor in any of the "Big Four" cities of Tennessee (Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga).

Results

First round

First round results[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanMadeline Rogero 8,242 49.90
NonpartisanMark Padgett 3,741 22.65
NonpartisanIvan Harmon3,53722.33
NonpartisanJoe Hultquist6984.23
NonpartisanBo Bennett1480.90
Total votes16,518

Runoff

Runoff results[11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanMadeline Rogero 12,441 58.50
NonpartisanMark Padgett8,82741.50
Total votes21,268
Democratic gain from Republican

2015

2015 Knoxville mayoral election

← 2011September 29, 20152019 →
 
CandidateMadeline Rogero
Popular vote3,711
Percentage98.78%

Results by precinct
Rogero:      <90%

Mayor before election

Madeline Rogero
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Madeline Rogero
Democratic

The 2015 Knoxville mayoral election took place on September 29, 2015 to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. Incumbent Democratic Mayor Madeline Rogero won re-election with 98.8% of the vote.

Since Rogero reached a majority in the initial round of the election, no runoff was held. This was set to be the case since only two candidates were on the ballot.

Results

First round results[12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanMadeline Rogero (incumbent) 3,811 98.78
Write-inJack Knoxville461.22
Total votes3,757

2019

2019 Knoxville mayoral election

← 2015August 27, 2019 (first round)
November 5, 2019 (runoff)
2023 →
 
CandidateIndya KincannonEddie Mannis
First round5,568
28.31%
7,005
36.64%
Runoff13,291
52.41%
12,069
47.59%

 
CandidateMarshall Stair
First round5,158
26.87%
RunoffEliminated

Kincannon:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Mannis:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Stair:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%

Mayor before election

Madeline Rogero
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Indya Kincannon
Democratic

The 2019 Knoxville mayoral Election took place on August 27, 2019, and November 5, 2019, to elect the next mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. All Knoxville municipal elections are non-partisan.

Since no candidate met 50% or more of the votes, Republican candidate Eddie Mannis and Democratic candidate Indya Kincannon advanced to the November election. Indya Kincannon won the runoff election with 52.4% of the vote.

Incumbent Democratic Mayor Madeline Rogero was ineligible to run for re-election, having served the maximum of two terms.[13]

Candidates

Declared

  • Michael Andrews, licensed barber[14][13]
  • Fletcher Burkhardt, social media specialist[14]
  • Indya Kincannon, former Knox County School Board member (2004–2014), former chair of the Knox County School Board, former city director for Mayor Rogero[14]
  • Eddie Mannis, former COO and deputy to Mayor Rogero, chairman of the Metropolitan Airport Authority, prominent businessman[14]
  • Calvin Taylor Skinner, worked in community and leadership development[14]
  • Marshall Stair, lawyer, at-large member of the Knoxville City Council (2011–2019)[14]

Results

First round

First round results[15]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanEddie Mannis 7,005 36.64
NonpartisanIndya Kincannon 5,568 28.31
NonpartisanMarshall Stair5,15826.87
NonpartisanFletcher "Knoxville" Burkhardt5913.09
NonpartisanCalvin Taylor Skinner4932.58
NonpartisanMichael W. Andrews3011.57
Total votes19,116

Runoff

In the runoff election, Indya Kincannon defeated Eddie Mannis.

Runoff results
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanIndya Kincannon13,29152.41
NonpartisanEddie Mannis12,06947.59
Total votes25,360 100

2023

2023 Knoxville mayoral election

← 2019August 29, 20232027 →
 
CandidateIndya KincannonJeff Talman
Popular vote9,4314,808
Percentage57.52%29.32%

 
CandidateConstance EveryR. C. Lawhorn
Popular vote1,328830
Percentage8.10%5.06%

Kincannon:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Talman:      40–50%
Tie:      40–50%
No data:      40–50%

Mayor before election

Indya Kincannon
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Indya Kincannon
Democratic

The 2023 Knoxville mayoral election took place on August 29, 2023 to elect the mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. All Knoxville municipal elections are non-partisan. Since Kincannon won a majority of the vote in the initial round, no runoff was needed. Incumbent Democratic Mayor Indya Kincannon was elected with 57.5% of the vote, defeating Republican[16] Candidate Jeff Talman.

Indya Kincannon announced her re-election campaign on November 16, 2022.[17] She was sworn in on December 16, 2023.[18]

Candidates

Declared

  • Indya Kincannon, incumbent mayor[17]
  • Jeff Talman, mortgage banker and president of the Knoxville Volunteer Rotary Club[19]
  • Constance Every, nonprofit founder
  • R.C. Lawhorn, businessman[20]

Results

Results[21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanIndya Kincannon (Incumbent) 9,431 57.52
NonpartisanJeff Talman4,80829.32
NonpartisanConstance Every1,3288.10
NonpartisanR.C. Lawhorn8305.06
Total votes16,397 100

See also

References