Skip to main content
Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

This story is exclusive to subscribers.

Democrat’s Hamilton County school board seat won’t be declared vacant until October

Staff File Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Montrell Besley speaks Sept. 1, 2026, beside Commissioner Katherlyn Geter during a press conference about the Hamilton County school board District 11 vacancy. The commission is expected to vote on the vacancy Oct. 7, 2026.
Staff File Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Montrell Besley speaks Sept. 1, 2026, beside Commissioner Katherlyn Geter during a press conference about the Hamilton County school board District 11 vacancy. The commission is expected to vote on the vacancy Oct. 7, 2026. Staff File Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Montrell Besley speaks Sept. 1, 2026, beside Commissioner Katherlyn Geter during a press conference about the Hamilton County school board District 11 vacancy. The commission is expected to vote on the vacancy Oct. 7, 2026.

By Joan McClane 3 min read

The Hamilton County school board seat left by Democrat Jill Black will not be officially declared vacant until the first week of October.

Hamilton County commissioners said Wednesday that after the vacancy is declared, they will start interviewing applicants and then vote to appoint Black’s replacement.

Black, who is moving to Canada with her family, notified school leaders in August that she would be vacating the District 11 seat she’d held since 2022.

District 11 covers parts of the south and southwest Chattanooga area — Alton Park, East Lake, Eastside, Missionary Ridge, St. Elmo, Lookout Valley and Lookout Mountain.

Local Democratic leaders pushed for Black’s replacement to be determined by party caucuses, which would have put forth nominees to go on the upcoming November midterm ballot.