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Contest for TN State Executive Committeewoman District 5
primary - Partisan - State Executive Committee
About this office
The State Executive Committee is the elected governing body of a Tennessee political party (Democratic or Republican). It is a party-organization office, not a government office — its members set party rules and organization, and are chosen by voters in that party's primary.
Term length: 4 years.
This role calls for
- Intra-party governance: the State Executive Committee is the elected governing body of a Tennessee political party, not a public office that legislates or administers government.
- Working knowledge of party rules, conventions, ballot-access requirements, and how the party interacts with state election law.
- Coordination with the party chair and county-level party committees.
- This is a partisan party-organization role; voters in the party's primary choose the committee members. The qualities here describe party-organization fit, not government competency.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Democratic Primary
1 candidate
Anne Backus's biography shows relevant experience for the State Executive Committee role through her current service as a board member and prior tenure on the Democratic State Executive Committee itself. Her 33-year career as a project manager at Y-12 demonstrates skills in coordinating with diverse groups and managing complex operations, while her decade of volunteer advocacy highlights community engagement. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience with formal party rulemaking or ballot-access litigation.
Republican Primary
2 candidates
Amy Poteet's biography shows relevant intra-party governance experience as a State Executive Committee committeewoman and former county executive committee member. She also holds leadership roles within the Anderson County Federated Republican Women. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience with state-level ballot-access requirements or direct coordination with the party chair.
Sherri Garrett's biography shows relevant experience as a long-serving nurse and grassroots leader who chairs a local Moms for Liberty chapter, organizing community events and engaging with school boards on policy issues. She previously ran for the Knox County Board of Education but lost in a 2022 primary. Bio does not indicate prior elected legislative office or direct experience with state party governance rules.
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