Brittany Duke Named Hickman County Administrator of Elections After 3-2 Vote
In a significant decision for Hickman County voters, the Election Commission has officially named Brittany Duke as the new county administrator of elections. The move came after a 3-2 vote on Tuesday night, capping off a public interview process with three finalists.
Duke, who had been serving as interim administrator since last fall, steps into the role with some hands-on experience already under her belt. After the resignation of longtime administrator Martie Davis, Duke took the reins during a busy stretch that included both the November early voting period and the December Special Election Day. That real-time experience likely played a role in swaying the commission’s decision.
“I am so thankful and appreciate this opportunity I’ve been entrusted with,” Duke said following the announcement. “I want to assure voters that I intend to honor this decision by running the office with integrity and transparency going forward. People should feel comfortable to come vote, and they will have that now.”
The commission had originally received 10 applications for the position. Last week, they narrowed the field to three finalists: Duke, Charlene Hunt, and Mark Totty. In a shift from an earlier plan to refer to candidates by number, the commission opted for a more transparent approach, making names public and holding interviews open to the community on Tuesday.
When it came time to vote, Election Commission Chairman Roy Crews, along with members Debbie Coleman and Brenda Burchard, cast their votes for Duke. Commissioners Steve Hethcote and Chip Wilson backed Hunt.
This was a notable moment for the commission, which hadn’t had to appoint a new elections administrator in nearly 15 years. While the state provides guidelines for the selection process, much of the decision-making is left to the discretion of each county’s commission. In fact, applications aren’t even a requirement-something other counties have demonstrated recently.
One such case was in neighboring Dickson County, where Liz Littleton, daughter of State Rep. Mary Littleton, was appointed without the position being publicly posted or applications being accepted. That decision sparked some ethics concerns, but Commission Chair Roy Crews noted that while the process there was legal, Hickman County chose a more open route.
“We had to move quickly,” Crews said last week, pointing to an upcoming state training and certification deadline for new administrators. Duke will need to pass a state-mandated test to become fully certified, and she’s set to attend the training in Nashville on January 28.
Voter Precinct Changes Coming
In other news from Tuesday’s meeting, the Election Commission approved two changes to polling locations ahead of the next election.
East Hickman Middle School will no longer serve as a voting site. Instead, voters in that area will head across the street to the East Hickman Volunteer Fire Department station. The move is expected to streamline logistics and improve accessibility.
Additionally, a change is coming to the Nunnelly precinct following an ADA-related complaint. The new voting location will be Nunnelly United Methodist Church.
Chairman Crews noted that the commission will begin working on sending out updated voter registration cards to reflect the new polling places.
With Duke now officially in place and preparations underway for the next election cycle, Hickman County voters can expect a renewed focus on transparency and accessibility-two values Duke has already made clear will define her leadership.