By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–A citizens’ petition seeking a public vote on the new Henry County wheel tax has been officially disqualified due to a lack of valid signatures.
At a special meeting of the Henry County Elections Commission Monday, members voted unanimously to disqualify the petition, which was spearheaded by County Commissioner Ralph Wiles.
Elections Administrator DeLaina Green, organizers presented the 72-page petition, which had 843 signatures. The number of signatures needed for the petition was 806, according to Green, who said that is based on 10 percent of the number who voted in Henry County in the last gubernatorial election.
Elections Administration staff have been certifying signatures, scanning the signatures to compare them with valid signatures on voter registration rolls and documenting each page of the petition for the state.
A total of 635 signatures were accepted as valid and 198 were rejected. Ten were not legible and a total of 116 people who signed the petition were not registered to vote.
Election Commission Member Jim Poe said people “need to engage the process” and register to vote. “I feel for the people who worked to get this petition going.”
Green said she has noted that people on social media who seem the most opinionated about issues are often not registered to vote.
As voted by the Henry County Commission in September, the additional tax would be effective July 1, 2026. The county commission approved the additional tax of $30 which would increase the total wheel tax to $45.50 per vehicle. The revenue from the tax is designated for specific county construction projects, such as the planned new county administration building and renovations to existing county buildings.
With the petitions being disqualified, there will be no referendum on the ballot. The petition requested that “an election be held to approve or disapprove the adoption of the county wheel tax as proposed” by the county resolution.
In other business:
Green reported three people have picked up campaign finance packets in preparation for being on the ballot at the next election: Sheriff Josh Frey; General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge Chad Cox and Carter Mahan, who has voiced his intention to run for District 3 County Commissioner.
Photo: Henry County Election Commissioners in discussion at tonight’s meeting. Shannon McFarlin photo.