Early Voting Begins for District 8 Runoff

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Beginning today, residents of District are invited to return to the polls to decide who will represent them on Chattanooga’s City Council.

The election went to a runoff after none of the three candidates earned the fifty percent plus one majority required to win, confusing some members of the community.

But now the race is between Marvene Noel, who was appointed to the council after Anthony Byrd resigned, and Marie Mott, who has been heavily involved in community activism.

Noel has recently received endorsements from Mayor Tim Kelly, Representative Yusuf Hakeem, and others.

“I am all about the growth in District 8. I am all about the people. I am about listening to the constituents. I am about anything that is going to make life better for District 8. We have fallen short on the mark on providing just basic needs, in order for people in District 8 to live their best life. The scales of justice have not been balanced in a very long time,” said Noel.

Mott received the popular vote in the general election, and has received the endorsement of her former opponent, Malorie Marsh.

“It’s time for this city to close gaps that exist largely in District 8. There are a lot of homeless in our community. There are a lot of people who have been in generational poverty in our community. I have a significant amount of schools, which are young people, in my district. So, there is a very large opportunity for me to step into this role and bridge gaps, for me to create opportunities for younger people transitioning, for families. And I just want to wield this power in the best interest of this community and ignite the dreams and passions of the next generation in District 8,” said Marsh.

The official date of the runoff election is September 15.