McFarland elected Mayor of Murfreesboro

Shane McFarland will trade his seat on the City Council for the mayor’s post after rolling to victory in Tuesday’s election.

McFarland captured 5,315 votes, 68 percent, to City Councilman Ron Washington’s 2,474, 31.7 percent, in the mayoral race with 31 of 31 precincts counted and early voting totals in.

“I’ve had a great team,” McFarland said in the aftermath at Maple Street Grill, noting his campaign group worked to get out a message touting his eight years of experience on the council.

The mayor-elect emphasized the need to bolster Murfreesboro City Schools, in addition to improving customer service for city residents and focusing on small business development.

City voters also picked newcomer Rick LaLance and incumbents Madelyn Scales Harris and Doug Young to serve four-year terms on the City Council and newcomer Phil King and incumbents Nancy Rainier and Collier Smith to serve on the City School Board.

The Rutherford County Election Commissioner reported voter turnout at 7,927, or 11.3 percent of the city’s registered voters. They overwhelmingly backed a referendum to move the city election to coincide with the county’s August general election by 6,512, 85.7 percent, to 1,082, 14.25 percent.

Results

Mayoral race

Shane McFarland: 5,315 – 68.09% (Endorsed by MFFA 3035)

Ron Washington: 1,568 – 31.69%

City Council race (Top 3)

Rick LaLance: 4,962 – 24.62% (Endorsed by MFFA 3035)

Doug Young: 4,420 – 21.93% (Endorsed by MFFA 3035)

Madelyn Scales Harris: 3,893 – 19.32% (Endorsed by 3035)

Brian Patterson: 2,267 – 11.25%

Candy Roberts Joyce: 2,156 – 10.70%

Stephen Shirley: 986 – 4.89%

Jeff Rainwater: 791 – 3.93%

Axl David: 633 – 3.14%

City School Board race (Top 3)

Nancy Rainier: 4,109 – 23.61%

Collier Smith: 3,859 – 22.18%

Phil King: 2,595 – 14.91%

Kevin Fisher: 2,379 – 13.67%

Novonda Lilly: 1,498 – 8.61%

Geoffrey Robert Burns Herring: 1,478 – 8.49%

Wesley Ballard: 1,434 – 8.24%

Referendum to move election date

Yes: 6,512 – 85.75%

No: 1,082 – 14.25%

http://www.murfreesboropost.com/mcfarland-elected-mayor-of-murfreesboro-cms-39011