🏛️ Courthouse Corner: Bledsoe Posts Early-Voting Hours, Marion’s Meeting Calendar Fills the Next Two Weeks, and Hamilton Seeks a School Board Appointee

Or: A Plain-English Civic Weekend for Pikeville Drivers, Jasper Meetings, and a Chattanooga School Board Deadline

Some weekends the courthouse news is a single big vote. This one is a stack of calendars — the kind you tape to the fridge next to the grocery list. Neighbor counties just published useful details Sequatchie folks often need when they work, shop or run errands across the county line. Think of it like Cousin Billy finally writing the co-op hours on the barn door instead of making everyone guess.

Here’s what’s in this fifth Courthouse Corner in Plain English: Bledsoe County’s full early-voting hours for Oct. 14–29 at the Pikeville courthouse, Marion County’s public meeting calendar from Oct. 12 through Oct. 26, Hamilton County’s Oct. 28 school board appointment with an Oct. 16 letter deadline, and fridge reminders for Sequatchie early voting, Dunlap City Hall on Oct. 15, the Justice Bus on Oct. 20, and bus-garage roof bids on Oct. 26.

We label each item Local (Sequatchie County or Dunlap), Neighbors (nearby counties) or Statewide (Tennessee programs that apply here, too). Facts come from public notices, government websites and local newspapers, linked in each section. This is not an endorsement of any candidate, amendment or appointee.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Bledsoe early voting: Wed., Oct. 14–Thu., Oct. 29 at the Pikeville courthouse election office — hours vary by day (see schedule below).
• Marion meetings: Jasper City Hall Mon., Oct. 12 at 6 p.m.; county offices closed that Monday for Columbus Day; Marion Commission Mon., Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.
• Hamilton school board: Letters of interest for District 11 due Fri., Oct. 16, 4 p.m.; appointment Wed., Oct. 28, 5 p.m. ET.
• Home fridge: Sequatchie early voting starts Wed., Oct. 14 (call for hours); Dunlap City Hall Thu., Oct. 15, 5 p.m.; bus garage roof bids Mon., Oct. 26, 10 a.m. CT.

🗳️ Neighbors: Bledsoe Publishes Exact Early-Voting Hours in Pikeville

While Sequatchie voters still need to confirm local sites and hours with our own Election Commission, Bledsoe County has already published a detailed early-voting schedule for the Nov. 3 state and federal general election. A public notice from the Bledsoe County Election Commission says any registered Bledsoe voter may vote early Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Thursday, Oct. 29 at:

• Location: Bledsoe County Election Commission Office, Bledsoe County Courthouse, 3150 Main Street, Suite 700, 2nd Floor, Pikeville, TN 37367

Published early-voting hours (Bledsoe):

• Wed., Oct. 14 – Fri., Oct. 16: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Sat., Oct. 17: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
• Mon., Oct. 19 – Wed., Oct. 21: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Thu., Oct. 22 – Sat., Oct. 24: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
• Mon., Oct. 26 – Thu., Oct. 29: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

The same notice reminds voters to bring a federal or Tennessee state photo ID (college IDs are not accepted), notes that absentee applications must be returned by Oct. 24, and that absentee ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. The notice listed the Bledsoe election office phone as (423) 447-2776.

What it means for you: Plenty of Valley folks cross into Pikeville for work, groceries or family. If you or someone in your household votes in Bledsoe, those hours are already on paper — no guessing. If you vote in Sequatchie, treat this as a friendly nudge: call (423) 949-2431 or check GoVoteTN.gov for our sites and hours before Oct. 14. Counties set early-voting schedules locally, and they are not all the same.

👉 Read more (Bledsoe early-voting notice) · GoVoteTN · Sequatchie Election Commission directory

🗓️ Neighbors: Marion County’s Meeting Calendar — Starting Monday

Marion County’s official events calendar lays out a busy stretch of open meetings. Here are the civic dates most useful for Valley drivers who pass through Jasper, South Pittsburg, Whitwell or Monteagle:

• Mon., Oct. 12 — County offices closed for Columbus Day at the Marion County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square, Jasper.
• Mon., Oct. 12, 6–7 p.m.: Jasper City Meeting, Jasper City Hall, 32 Courthouse Square.
• Tue., Oct. 13, 6–7 p.m.: South Pittsburg City Meeting, SP Senior Citizens Activity Center, 315 Elm Avenue.
• Thu., Oct. 15, 6:30–7:30 p.m.: Powells Crossroads City Meeting, 140 Alvin C York Hwy, Whitwell.
• Wed., Oct. 21, 6–7 p.m.: Orme City Meeting, Orme Fire Hall, 796 Orme Road.
• Thu., Oct. 22, 5–6 p.m.: Marion County School Board, Central Office, 204 Betsy Pack Drive, Jasper.
• Mon., Oct. 26, 5–6 p.m.: Monteagle City Meeting, Monteagle City Hall, 16 Dixie Lee Avenue.
• Mon., Oct. 26, 6–7 p.m.: Marion County Commission, Lawson Building, 300 Ridley Drive, Jasper.

What it means for you: If you work in Jasper, have kids in Marion schools, or just like knowing when the neighbors meet, this calendar is the barn-door version of the rumor mill. Monday is a holiday for county offices, so don’t plan a courthouse errand that day — but Jasper’s city board still shows a 6 p.m. meeting on the county calendar. Always skim the day-of notice for last-minute changes; special called meetings do happen.

👉 Read more (Marion County events calendar)

🏫 Neighbors: Hamilton County Seeks Letters for a District 11 School Board Seat

Hamilton County’s Board of Commissioners published notice that it will appoint someone to fill the District 11 Hamilton County Board of Education seat left open by the resignation of Jill Black. The appointment is scheduled for the commission’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern in Room 402 of the Hamilton County Courthouse, 625 Georgia Avenue, Chattanooga.

• Who may apply: A qualified Hamilton County voter who lives in District 11 and meets the legal qualifications for the office.
• How to apply: Submit a signed letter of interest (name, home address, contact info, District 11 residency, qualifications, willingness to serve; a résumé may be included).
• Deadline for advance review: Letters should reach the Commission Office by Friday, Oct. 16, at 4:00 p.m. — delivered, mailed or emailed to Faith Pitchford, Legislative Assistant, Room 401, 625 Georgia Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37402, or FaithP@HamiltonTN.gov. The notice says the letter deadline is for advance review and is not itself a condition of nomination or appointment.
• Questions: Hamilton County Commission Office, (423) 209-7200.
• Meetings are livestreamed on Hamilton County’s YouTube channel.

What it means for you: Even if you live in Sequatchie, a lot of Valley families shop, work or have relatives in Hamilton County. School board seats shape calendars, buses and budgets for thousands of kids. If you know someone in District 11 who might serve, the Oct. 16 letter window is the practical deadline to aim for. This is an appointment process, not a campaign endorsement from us — just the public notice, in plain English.

👉 Read more (Hamilton County legal notice) · Chattanoogan: Commission meets Oct. 28

🏛️ Local + Statewide: Your Sequatchie Fridge Card for the Next Two Weeks

Back home, the big civic dates have not moved — they just got closer:

• Wed., Oct. 14 – Thu., Oct. 29: Statewide early voting for the Nov. 3 election. No excuse needed. For Sequatchie sites and hours, call Administrator Jerrie Holland at (423) 949-2431 (68 Spring Street, Dunlap) or use GoVoteTN.gov for registration, sample ballot and polling-place lookup. Bring a federal or Tennessee state photo ID.
• Tue., Oct. 13: Dunlap’s Oct. 15 meeting agenda should be posted at City Hall and on dunlaptn.gov by this day.
• Thu., Oct. 15, 5 p.m.: Dunlap Board of Mayor and Commissioners, Commission Room, George L. Wagner Municipal Building, 15595 Rankin Avenue. Public comments on agenda items at the start; City Hall main line (423) 949-2115.
• Sat., Oct. 24: Deadline for absentee ballot requests to reach your county election commission (excuse required in Tennessee).
• Tue., Oct. 20, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Eastern: Tennessee Justice Bus at Cleveland Public Library, 795 Church Street NE — legal resources and virtual attorney kiosks; no registration required. Help4TN hotline: 1-844-HELP4TN (1-844-435-7486).
• Mon., Oct. 26, 10 a.m. CT: Sequatchie County Board of Education bus garage roof bids still due (about 9,000 sq. ft. at 14999 Rankin Ave.; sealed bids to 878 Cordell Drive, Attn: Scotty Holland, “BG Roof Bid”).
• Tue., Nov. 3: Election Day. Neighbor note: Grundy County’s November ballot also includes several municipal races (Altamont, Beersheba Springs, Coalmont, Palmer, Gruetli-Laager, Monteagle, Tracy City), per the county election office.

A short plain-English note on the three statewide constitutional amendments: each is a separate yes-or-no question. Under Tennessee rules, an amendment passes only if it gets more yes than no and the yes votes equal more than half of all votes cast in the governor’s race. The Attorney General summaries are posted on the Secretary of State’s site — read them yourself; we won’t rehash the politics here.

What it means for you: This weekend is for planning, not scrambling. Five minutes with GoVoteTN, one call for Sequatchie early-voting hours, and a glance at Tuesday’s City Hall agenda beat a last-minute rush every time — same as packing the church dish the night before the potluck.

👉 Read more (WBBJ: Early voting starts Oct. 14) · Dunlap Oct. 15 meeting notice · Amendment summaries (SOS) · Justice Bus Oct. 20 · Bus garage roof bid notice

🗓️ Dates to Put on the Fridge

• Mon., Oct. 12: Marion County offices closed (Columbus Day); Jasper City Meeting 6 p.m. (per county calendar).
• Tue., Oct. 13: Dunlap City Hall agenda due; South Pittsburg City Meeting 6 p.m.
• Wed., Oct. 14 – Thu., Oct. 29: Early voting statewide. Sequatchie: (423) 949-2431 or GoVoteTN.gov. Bledsoe hours posted for Pikeville courthouse (see above).
• Thu., Oct. 15, 5 p.m.: Dunlap Board of Mayor and Commissioners, 15595 Rankin Ave.
• Fri., Oct. 16, 4 p.m.: Hamilton District 11 school board letters of interest due for advance review.
• Tue., Oct. 20, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. ET: Justice Bus, Cleveland Public Library.
• Sat., Oct. 24: Absentee ballot request deadline.
• Mon., Oct. 26, 10 a.m. CT: Bus garage roof bids due; Marion Commission 6 p.m.; Monteagle City 5 p.m.
• Wed., Oct. 28, 5 p.m. ET: Hamilton Commission appoints District 11 school board member.
• Tue., Nov. 3: Election Day — bring a federal or Tennessee state photo ID.

✅ Your Courthouse Corner Checklist

• ✅ If you vote in Bledsoe, screenshot or print the Pikeville early-voting hours above.
• ✅ If you vote in Sequatchie, call (423) 949-2431 this weekend for sites and hours.
• ✅ Open GoVoteTN.gov and pull your sample ballot (including the three amendment questions).
• ✅ Put your photo ID with your keys the night before you vote.
• ✅ Skim the Dunlap agenda after Tuesday if you might speak Oct. 15.
• ✅ Know someone in Hamilton District 11 who might serve? Point them to the Oct. 16 letter deadline.
• ✅ Know a licensed roofer? Bus garage roof bids are still due Oct. 26.

Practical rule: Write the date, the address and the phone number on the fridge before you need them. A planned trip to early voting or City Hall beats a rushed one every time.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Courthouse Glossary

• Early voting: Casting your ballot in person during a set window before Election Day, no excuse required in Tennessee.
• Sample ballot: A preview of the races and questions that will appear on your ballot for your address.
• Constitutional amendment: A proposed change to the state constitution that voters approve or reject with a yes or no vote.
• Letter of interest: A short written statement that someone wants to be considered for an appointed public seat.
• Unexpired term: The remaining time left in an elected office after someone resigns or leaves midterm.
• Public comment: The part of a meeting when residents may speak briefly about items on the agenda.
• Sealed bid: A price submitted in a closed envelope by a deadline so no one can match another bidder’s number beforehand.
• Justice Bus: A traveling legal-resources event that helps people find civil legal information and, when eligible, connect with volunteer attorneys.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Where can Bledsoe County voters vote early?

According to the Bledsoe County Election Commission notice, early voting is at the Election Commission Office in the Bledsoe County Courthouse, 3150 Main Street, Suite 700 (2nd Floor), Pikeville. Hours vary by day from Oct. 14 through Oct. 29 — see the schedule in this article or call (423) 447-2776.

When does Sequatchie County early voting start?

Statewide early voting runs Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Thursday, Oct. 29. Sequatchie follows that window. Confirm exact sites and hours with the Sequatchie County Election Commission at (423) 949-2431 or on GoVoteTN.gov — counties set locations locally.

When is Dunlap City Hall’s next regular meeting?

Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. in the Commission Room at 15595 Rankin Avenue. The agenda should be posted by Tuesday, Oct. 13, at City Hall and on dunlaptn.gov.

What is the Hamilton District 11 school board deadline?

Letters of interest for advance review should reach the Hamilton County Commission Office by Friday, Oct. 16, at 4 p.m. The commission plans to make the appointment at its Wednesday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m. Eastern meeting in Chattanooga.

Are Marion County offices open on Monday, Oct. 12?

Marion County’s events calendar lists county offices closed that Monday for Columbus Day. Jasper’s city meeting is still listed for 6 p.m. that evening — confirm day-of if you plan to attend.

Are bus garage roof bids still open?

Yes. The Sequatchie County Board of Education notice still lists sealed bids due by 10 a.m. CT on Monday, Oct. 26, with a required site visit beforehand.

🔗 Other Resources

• GoVoteTN.gov — registration check, sample ballots, polling places, amendment summaries
• Sequatchie County Election Commission — official SOS directory listing
• Marion County events calendar
• Hamilton County Commission legal notices
• City of Dunlap Government
• Tennessee elections calendar
• 2026 proposed constitutional amendments
• Tennessee Justice Bus · Help4TN: 1-844-435-7486
• Dunlap.Directory — free local business listings

🌿 Keep Learning, Stay Calm

Government works better when ordinary folks know the dates and the phone numbers. You don’t have to attend every meeting or memorize every statute. Pull your sample ballot, confirm early-voting hours, and keep this weekend’s neighbor calendars where you can find them. For more calm, practical Sequatchie Valley reporting, keep reading Dunlap.Today.