Candidates Qualify For 2026 Elections

CARROLL COUNTY (December 31) — Political races for governor, state representative, countywide office, school board, and municipal seats are on the ballot in elections held in May, August and November 2026.

The midterm election year is upon us, with candidate-petitioning for Carroll County offices and school board seats beginning Monday, December 22.

The primary election for county offices and board of education seats — for each political party — is Tuesday, May 5, 2026. All candidates, party affiliated or independent, must qualify for their positions by noon on February 19, 2026, to be considered for the May 5 primary and August general election.

Carroll County Election Administrator Peg Hamlett provided the following list of petitioners and qualified candidates on December 31 at 10 a.m.

Sheriff Andy Dickson announced he is not seeking re-election. Four candidates, so far, have picked up petitions to seek the office. Those include Michael Anthony Smith and Ryan White as independent candidates, and Eric Sawyers and Timothy Pratt, who are seeking the Republican nomination in the party’s primary.

The county has reduced the number of road commissioners from two to one effective September 1, 2026. Incumbent Ronnie Wade and newcomers Otis Nesbitt and William Jason Longmire have picked petitions for the position. All are running as independent candidates.

Property Assessor Rita Jones is not seeking reelection. John Austin has picked up a petition to seek that office in the Republican primary.

The candidates seeking Republican nominations are: Chad Barnhart- Register of Deeds; Cyril Ostiguy - County Commissioner District 5; Eric Daniel Gonzalez - Hollow Rock-Bruceton School Board; Mayor Joseph Butler - County Mayor; Lori Dillahunty - County Commission District 7; Circuit Clerk Sarah Bradberry - Circuit Court Clerk; Tim Pratt- Sheriff; Eric Sawyers - Sheriff; John Austin - Property Assessor.

Seeking office as an independent candidate are: Paula Bolen - trustee incumbent; Kurt Thomas Hunley, County Commission District 6; William Jason Longmire, Road Supervisor; Jason Rance Martin - County Commission District 9; Will Randolph McMackin - County Commission District 3; Samuel Melton, South Carroll School Board; Paul Robert Mueller, West Carroll School Board-Trezevant; Barry Mac Murphy- County Commission District 5; Otis Nesbitt - Road Supervisor; Michael Anthony Smith - Sheriff; Shawna Barger Smith - Huntingdon School Board; Charlotte Tucker - County School Board District 3; Ronnie Wade - Road Supervisor; and Charles Ryan White - Sheriff.

The election cycle in 2026 in Carroll County:
Party Primaries - May 5

Following this primary election is the Thursday, August 6, general election — which includes the county office race, board of education race, and Clarksburg municipal race for mayor and two alderman seats.

Candidate petitioning for the Clarksburg race begins January 9, 2026. Candidates must qualify by March 10 at noon to be put on the August 6 election ballot.

Also August 6 is the primary election for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and Tennessee House.

The general election for the above listed state offices and for municipal seats in Carroll County cities and towns — excluding Clarksburg — is Tuesday, November 3.

Candidate petitioning for Atwood, Bruceton, Hollow Rock, Huntingdon, McKenzie, McLemoresville and Trezevant municipal seats begins June 22, 2026. Candidates must qualify by noon on August 20 to be on the November 3 ballot.

Here is a look at which offices will be on the ballot in 2026.

The following seats are on Carroll County’s May 5 primary and August 6 general election ballot:

Carroll County Seats
Circuit Court Clerk (four-year term), held by Sarah Bradberry.

County Mayor (four-year term), held by Joseph Butler.

Property Assessor (four-year term), held by Rita Jones. Jones is not seeking re-election.

County Clerk (four-year term), held by Darlene Kirk.

Trustee (four-year term), held by Paula Bolen.

Register of Deeds (four-year term), held by Natalie Porter.

County Sheriff (four-year term), held by Andy Dickson. Dickson is not seeking re-election.

Road Supervisor (four-year term), held by Ricky Scott (District One) and Ronnie A. Wade (District 2). There will only be one Road Supervisor position in 2026 and following.

Republican State Executive Committee Man, held by Ryan Ellegood.

Republican State Executive Committee Woman, held by Tess Robbins.

County Commission Seats (four-year term) Three District 1 (Atwood, Cedar Grove, Lavinia) seats, held by Darrell Ridgely, Jimmy Halford Jr. and Randy D. Long.

Two District 2 (McLemoresville, Trezevant) seats, held by Daniel Willman and Lana Y. Suite.

Two District 3 (Bruceton, Buena Vista, Sp. Grove, Vale) seats, one vacant and one held by Joey Simmons.

Two District 4 (Cannon, Hollow Rock, Macedonia) seats, held by Morris Rogers and Daniel J. Thomas.

Three District 5 (Civic Center) seats, held by Joey W. Darnall, Cyril Ostiguy and Barry Mac Murphy.

Two District 6 (Clarksburg, Concord, New Liberty, Westport) seats, held by Jimmy D. McClure and Philip E. Moore.

Three District 7 (Huntingdon Police Station) seats, held by Walter Smothers and Lori Dillahunty.

Two District 8 (McKenzie Senior Citizens Center) seats, held by Jerry R. (Jay) Phipps and Willie Huffman.

Three District 9 (McKenzie Church, City Hall) seats, held by Jason R. Martin, Spiros L. Roditis and John Austin.

Carroll County School Board (four-year term): one District 1 (Lavinia, Cedar Grove, Atwood McLemoresville,

Trezevant, McKenzie Senior Citizens Center) seat, held by Mike Foster; one District 2 (Bruceton, Recycling Center, Hollow Rock, McKenzie Church, McKenzie City Hall) seat, held by Deborah Broadbent; and one District 3 (Civic Center, Clarksburg, Concord/Westport, Huntingdon Police Station) seat, held by Charlotte Tucker.

Hollow Rock-Bruceton Special School District (four-year term): one District 16 Hollow Rock city seat (2-year unexpired), held by Jonathan Tedford; one District 16 Bruceton city seat, held by Brandi Boyd; one District 16 at-large seat, held by April Hampton; and one District 15 Buena Vista seat, held by Jeffrey (Michael) Graves.

Huntingdon Special School District (six-year term): two at-large seats, currently held by Morgan Butler and Shawna Smith.

McKenzie Special School District (four-year term): four at-large seats, currently held by Bobby Young, LaShonda Williams, Spiros L. Roditis and George Cassidy. Candidates must live in Carroll County.

South Carroll Special School District (four-year term): two at-large seats, currently held by Christy Blount and Tom R. Miller.

West Carroll Special School District (four-year term): one Old County seat, held by Betty Wallace; one Old Atwood seat; held by Keith Murray; and one Old Trezevant seat, held by Kelly M. Weaver.

City of Clarksburg: Mayor and two alderman positions are on the August 6 ballot. Clarksburg is the only Carroll County city with an August municipal election. Currently, Howell Todd is Clarksburg mayor, and Judy Grant Smith and Barbara McClure are aldermen.

The following offices are listed on the August 6 primary midterm election ballot:

U.S. Congressional District 8, held by David Kustoff

U.S. Senate, held by Bill Hagerty

Tennessee Governor, held by Bill Lee

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 76, held by Tandy Darby

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 79, held by Brock Martin

The general election for these seats is Tuesday, November 3, along with municipal elections for Atwood, Bruceton, Hollow Rock, Huntingdon, McKenzie, McLemoresville and Trezevant. To run for the following seats, all candidates must reside in the listed municipality.

The following municipal seats are on the November 3, 2026, ballot:

Atwood
Mayor, held by Fridie Algee
Alderman, held by Jim Lewis
Alderman, held by Randy D. Long

Bruceton
Mayor, held by Robert T. Keeton, III
Alderman, held by Jack R. Blocker
Alderman, held by James A. Butler

Hollow Rock
Mayor (two-year unexpired), held by Ronnie Webb
Alderman, held by T. Richard Goodwin
Alderman, held by Angela Stockdale
Alderman (two-year unexpired), held by Cathie Pardue

Huntingdon
Council member, held by John Sanders
Council member, held by Kelly Eubanks
Council member, held by Andrew Maddox

McKenzie
Mayor, held by Ryan D. Griffin
Councilman, held by Tom Alexander
Councilman, held by Carol J. Armpriest
Councilman, held by Bobby Young

McLemoresville
Mayor, held by Phil Williams
Alderman, held by Sharron Holland
Alderman, held by Mike Presson
Alderman, held by Don T. Reed
Alderman, held by Angie Martin
Alderman, held by Lana Y. Suite

Trezevant
Alderman, held by Dan Dieringer
Alderman, held by Pamela D. Joyner
Alderman, held by Don Barger