From today’s Daily News Journal:

The Republican-controlled Rutherford County Election Commission hired Nicole Lester as the election administrator Monday night with little discussion — to the chagrin of Democratic commissioners concerned with her campaign connections to Sheriff Robert Arnold.

Democrats Denice Rucker and Johnny Taylor opposed giving the job to Lester because her husband, Joe Russell, worked as the campaign treasurer for Republican Sheriff Robert Arnold and accepted appointment to be the chief of administration for the sheriff after Arnold won the Aug. 5 election.

“She has a perceived conflict of interest, so I’m disappointed in the results,” Rucker said after the meeting.

A frustrated Taylor declined to comment after the meeting.

During the meeting, Taylor complained that Lester could be ineffective as the election administrator every four years during the sheriff’s race.

“We all know it’s going to be there,” Taylor said.