2007 Nashville mayoral election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2007 Nashville mayoral election

| type = mayoral

| flag_image = Flag of Nashville, Tennessee.png

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2003 Nashville mayoral election

| previous_year = 2003

| next_election = 2011 Nashville mayoral election

| next_year = 2011

| election_date = August 2, 2007 (first round)
September 11, 2007 (runoff)
{{nobold|Unofficial results}}

| 1blank = First round

| 2blank = Runoff

| image_size = x150px

| image1 = File:Karl Dean 2007 (cropped).jpg

| candidate1 = Karl Dean

| color1 = c0c0c0

| running_mate1 =

| 1data1 = 21,777
24.8%

| 2data1 = 51,491
52.1%

| image2 = File:Bob Clement.jpg

| candidate2 = Bob Clement

| color2 = c0c0c0

| running_mate2 =

| 1data2 = 21,035
24.0%

| 2data2 = 47,388
47.9%

| image3 = 3x4.svg

| candidate3 = Howard Gentry Jr.

| color3 = c0c0c0

| running_mate3 =

| 1data3 = 19,564
22.3%

| 2data3 = Eliminated

| image4 =

| candidate4 = Duck Dozier

| color4 = c0c0c0

| 1data4 = 15,644
17.8%

| 2data4 = Eliminated

| image5 =

| candidate5 = David Briley

| color5 = c0c0c0

| 1data5 = 9,772
11.1%

| 2data5 = Eliminated

| image6 =

| title = Mayor

| before_election = Bill Purcell

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Karl Dean

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| image1_size = x150px

}}

The 2007 Nashville mayoral election took place on August 2, 2007, to elect the next mayor of Nashville, Tennessee. Incumbent Democratic Mayor Bill Purcell was term limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office.{{Cite web |title=Bill Purcell Leaves Nashville’s Highest Office After Showing What An Engaged Mayor Can Do {{!}} Smart City Memphis |url=https://www.smartcitymemphis.com/2007/10/bill-purcell-leaves-nashvilles-highest-office-after-showing-what-an-engaged-mayor-can-do/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=www.smartcitymemphis.com}} Since there was no candidate that received a majority of votes in the initial round of the election, a runoff election was held. In the runoff election, Democratic candidate Karl Dean was elected with 52.1% of the vote, narrowly defeating Democrat Bob Clement.{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=2007-09-13 |title=Nashville Voters Derail Clement Comeback Bid |url=https://rollcall.com/2007/09/13/nashville-voters-derail-clement-comeback-bid/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Roll Call |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Newcomer Elected Nashville Mayor |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2007/09/12/newcomer-elected-nashville-mayor/61713477007/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |last3= |first3= |date=2007-09-12 |title=Karl Dean '81 to succeed Bill Purcell '79 as Nashville's mayor |url=https://law.vanderbilt.edu/karl-dean-81-to-succeed-bill-purcell-79-as-nashvilles-mayor/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Vanderbilt Law School |language=en-US}}

All Nashville municipal elections are required to be non-partisan, but each candidate was affiliated with a political party.

Candidates

= Advanced to the runoff =

Bob Clement, former congressman from Tennessee's 5th congressional district, and son of governor Frank G. Clement.{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Jeff |date=2007-07-19 |title=ELECTION 2007 |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/election-2007/article_92acb61c-cb75-5fce-94cb-273b9d34530e.html |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Nashville Scene |language=en}}
Karl Dean, Nashville's Director of Law under Mayor Bill Purcell from 1999 to 2007.{{Cite web |title=Karl Dean for Mayor of Nashville |url=http://www.karldean.info/karl_dean_bio.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722193610/http://karldean.info/karl_dean_bio.php |archive-date=July 22, 2012 |access-date=September 11, 2007}}

= Eliminated in the first round =

Buck Dozier, at-large Metro Council member and former Metro fire chief.{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Jeff |date=2007-07-19 |title=ELECTION 2007 |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/election-2007/article_92acb61c-cb75-5fce-94cb-273b9d34530e.html |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Nashville Scene |language=en}}
David Briley, grandson of the first mayor under Metro government, Beverly Briley.{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Jeff |date=2007-07-19 |title=ELECTION 2007 |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/election-2007/article_92acb61c-cb75-5fce-94cb-273b9d34530e.html |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Nashville Scene |language=en}}
Howard Gentry Jr., Nashville's first black vice mayor and the son of Howard C. Gentry, a popular Tennessee State University professor and athletics didirector.{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Jeff |date=2007-07-19 |title=ELECTION 2007 |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/election-2007/article_92acb61c-cb75-5fce-94cb-273b9d34530e.html |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Nashville Scene |language=en}}

First round

{{Election box begin no party no change | title=Election Results (Very unofficial)
August 2, 2007{{cite news|title=ELECTION UPDATE: Dean, Clement match-up set; Gentry & Dozier concede|newspaper=The Nashville City Paper|date=February 23, 2007|url=http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=57169|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903215944/http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=57169|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 3, 2012}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate no party no change

|candidate = Karl Dean

|votes =21,777

|percentage =24.81%

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate = Bob Clement

|votes =21,035

|percentage =23.96%

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate =Howard Gentry Jr.

|votes =19,564

|percentage =22.28%

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate =Duck Bozier

|votes =15,644

|percentage =17.82%

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate =David Briley

|votes =9,772

|percentage =11.13%

}}

{{Election box total no party no change

|votes =87,792

|percentage =100.00%

}}

Runoff

{{Election box begin no party no change | title=Nashville Mayoral Runoff Election, September 11, 2007{{Cite web |title=Newcomer Elected Nashville Mayor |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2007/09/12/newcomer-elected-nashville-mayor/61713477007/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate no party no change|

|candidate = Karl Dean

|votes = 51,491

|percentage = 52.07%

}}

{{Election box winning candidate no party no change

|candidate = Bob Clement

|votes =47,388

|percentage =47.93%

}}

{{Election box total no party no change

|votes =98,879