Oliver wins Democratic nomination for sheriff

Shannon Oliver is congratulated by Terrell Potter after capturing the Democratic Party's nomination for sheriff Tuesday night.

Oliver won 21 of the county’s 25 precincts Tuesday, capturing 56 percent of the vote.

“This is very humbling,” Oliver said.

“It means a lot to me that the people of Franklin County are willing to put their trust in me.”

Oliver, who worked as a deputy in the sheriff’s office before moving to the Russellville Police Department, becomes the first Democratic nominee other than current Sheriff Larry Plott since 1982.

“There are some big shoes to fill,” he said. “But I have an election in November before I could even think about that.”

Oliver will face Leighton Police Chief and Russellville native Ray Hayse in November’s general election. Hayse won the Republican nomination six weeks ago.

Oliver, 35, said that he maintained his platform from the June primary and just looked at seeing as many people as possible over the last six weeks.

“I didn’t really change anything,” he said. “I had a good group of people helping me and we tried to see as many people as we could. I don’t think there were any big changes at all. Sgt. Potter is a good man and he worked very hard this entire campaign. It took a lot of work by many people for this to happen.”

Potter carried the boxes in Phil Campbell, East Franklin and Spruce Pine. He also received one more absentee vote than Oliver.

“I am disappointed, mainly for all the people who worked to help me,” said Potter, who has worked in the Phil Campbell Police Department for eight years since retiring as a district attorney’s investigator after 27 years.

“We put it in God’s hands in the first place,” he said. “I don’t have any regrets. We carried our message to the people and this is what they decided. It started with five of us and then got down to two. It was a good clean race and this is how the people voted.”