2025 11 18 City Council Regular Session Packet

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Eligibility Requirements 
 
To be eligible for appointment to the Athens City Council, applicants must meet the qualifications set forth in 
the Athens City Charter and Tennessee Code Annotated.  
 
Athens City Charter Article IV 
Section 3. Be it further enacted , That all city elections, including all elections respecting bond issues, shall be 
held under the supervision of the County Board of Election Commissioners, and in accordance with the law 
governing all State and County elections, as hereinbefore set out. 
This section may be enforced by appropriate ordinance. 
All persons living within the limits of such corporation who shall be qualified to vote for members of the 
Legislature of this state, and who shall have been a resident of the city for thirty (30) days preceding such 
elections, or any qualified voter living in McMinn County who owns fifty percent (50%) interest in developable 
land in the city shall be entitled to vote in the precinct where such person resides or owns land and to have their 
vote counted in such election. The Council may authorize the ballots  for these non-resident property owners to 
be cast by mail only, pursuant to procedures approved by the State Coordinator of Elections.  
[As amended by Priv. Acts 1992, ch. 215, § 1; Priv. Acts 2000, ch. 83, § 1; and Priv. Acts 2002, ch. 114, § 1]  
 
Athens City Charter Article V 
Section 2. Be it further enacted, That any qualified voter of the city who resides in the city shall be eligible for 
election to the Office of Councilperson, provided that a failure to continue to reside in the city shall vacate such 
person's office. Councilpersons shall serve no more than three (3) terms. The three-term limit shall begin with 
the 2024 and 2026 elections. Furthermore, if a Councilperson was appointed mid-term, then that appointed term 
shall not count toward the three-term limit prescribed herein.  
[As amended by Priv. Acts 1992, ch. 215, § 2; and Priv. Acts 2024, ch. 60, § 3] 
 
Section 10. Be it further enacted, That when any vacancy in said council shall occur, such vacancy shall be 
filled by the Councilpersons. The newly elected member shall serve until the third Tuesday in November 
following the next regular election or until his successor shall be elected and qualified for the unexpired term. 
[As amended by Priv. Acts 2000, ch. 83, § 2; and Priv. Acts 2024, ch. 60, § 3] 
 
Tenn. Code Ann. 8-18-101. Eligibility to hold office. 
All persons eighteen (18) years of age or older who are citizens of the United States and of this state, and have been 
inhabitants of the state, county, district, or circuit for the period required by the constitution and laws of the state, are 
qualified to hold office under the authority of this state except: 
 
(1) Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or any other offense declared infamous under § 40-
20-112, unless restored to citizenship under title 40, chapter 29; except those who have been convicted of an 
infamous crime if the offense was committed in the person's official capacity or involved the duties of the person's 
office, in which case the person shall forever be disqualified from holding office; 
(2) Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity,  
due to the United States, to this state, or any county of this state; 
(3) Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election, and the election of any such person  
shall be void; 
(4) Soldiers, sailors, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and 
(5) Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state 
of the union, or under the United States. 
 
ATHENS CITY COUNCIL 
V ACANCY APPOINTMENT INFORMATION 
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