Bill Anderson Defeats Incumbent Kerry McCarver in Cheatham County Republican Mayoral Primary

TL;DR: Bill Anderson unseated incumbent Kerry McCarver in Cheatham County’s Republican mayoral primary, securing 1,781 votes to McCarver’s 1,426.

Context Cheatham County held its party primaries on May 5, with the mayoral contest decided solely in the Republican race because no Democrat filed. The county has 29,845 registered voters, but turnout was low, with 3,687 ballots cast across all precincts.

Key Facts Anderson, the current mayor of Pleasant View, captured 1,781 votes, outpacing McCarver’s 1,426. The total vote count reflects an 87.9% share for Republican ballots and 12.1% for Democratic ballots. Early and absentee voting contributed 2,028 of the total votes; of those, 1,773 were cast for Republican candidates and 253 for Democrats. The mayoral primary accounted for the bulk of the Republican vote, with Anderson’s margin of 355 votes sealing his victory.

Other county races also concluded, with Republicans sweeping every contested seat. Notable wins include Joshua Turnbow for circuit court judge (2,778 votes) and Tim Binkley for sheriff (3,059 votes). On the county commission, the closest contests were in District 4, where James E. Gupton Jr. edged Walter Weakley by 7 votes (429 to 422). Democratic candidates appeared only in a handful of races, such as Jan Morrison for County Commissioner District 6, who received 106 votes.

What It Means Anderson’s victory signals a shift in Cheatham County leadership after McCarver’s two terms. With the Republican primary serving as the de facto election, the result underscores the party’s dominance in the county’s electorate. The low turnout—just over 12% of registered voters—highlights limited engagement in local primaries, a factor that could influence future campaign strategies.

Looking ahead, the August 6 general election will confirm the Republican slate, but any unexpected Democratic challengers could alter the landscape. Watch for voter mobilization efforts and potential shifts in turnout as the county approaches the general election.