By Clint Confehr
MURFREESBORO — With early voting ending today in this city of 114,000 people southeast of Nashville, residents could be electing their first African-American mayor on April 15.
Elected vice mayor by his peers, Councilman Ron Washington faces a younger, white candidate, Shane McFarland. The two-term councilman is a custom homebuilder. Washington, a four-term councilman, is corporate special projects manager for Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation.
Washington has also served as MTEMC’s district manager and the utility’s communications manager. His bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University is in communications.
He and McFarland sit next to each other during council meetings. When the mayor is absent, Washington presides. Mayor Tommy Bragg is not seeking re-election.
McFarland’s term as councilman ends this spring. If he’s elected, he still faces Washington at council meetings since the vice-mayor’s council term expires in two years. If McFarland loses, he will not continue as a councilman.
Washington and McFarland are Rutherford County natives.
There are 65,169 people registered to vote in Murfreesboro elections. As of mid-day April 3, there were 1,932 early ballots cast in the city elections. April 10 (this Thursday) is the last day for early voting. Early voter ballots are usually the first to be counted and announced on election night. Frequently, early voter results predict winners. Sometimes, margins are indicated by early voting results. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. election day.
Murfreesboro’s April 15th election also includes races for council and the city board of education.
Councilwoman Madelyn Scales Harris is the only African-American candidate in the election for council. Two African-Americans are running for school board: Novanda Lilly and Kevin Fisher.