{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDavid Velarde is the independent candidate for Knox County Commission At-Large Seat 11 in the August 6, 2026 general election, running against Republican Garrett Holt and Democrat Vivian Underwood Shipe [1]. He did not participate in the Knox News in-person candidate interviews and disclosed using AI assistance to organize his research and writing [1]. His platform centers on seniors: affordable senior-housing development, a public inventory of genuinely affordable senior-living units, senior transportation access outside city limits, and emergency-response times in rural and fast-growing districts [1]. He measures success by whether \"working families can afford safe housing for aging parents without financial hardship,\" and campaigns on \"Results, not slogans.\" [1]\n\n## Career\nVelarde is a podiatrist (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine) with more than 25 years of practice in Knoxville and East Tennessee [1][2]. He earned his DPM from Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine in Miami in 1996, took over Dr. Barry Ritchie's practice in 2004, and is the sole podiatrist at Advanced Foot Care Center [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Knox County Commission At-Large Seat 11 voter's guide (Knox News)](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/knox-county-commission-large-seat-080720824.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Dr. David Velarde DPM - Advanced Foot Care Center (practice site)](https://knoxvillefootdoctor.com/) - accessed 2026-07-23","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_at_large_seat_11","county":"Knox","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Commission At-Large, Seat 11"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"David","fullname":"David Velarde","lastname":"Velarde","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_at_large_seat_11","contest_title":"County Commission At-Large, Seat 11","county":"Knox","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_at_large_seat_11","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_at_large_seat_11","contest_title":"County Commission At-Large, Seat 11","county":"Knox","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_at_large_seat_11","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"I","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission_at_large_seat_11","office_title":"County Commission At-Large, Seat 11","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Independent candidate for Knox County Commission At-Large Seat 11; a longtime Knoxville podiatrist campaigning on affordable senior housing and transportation.","terms":[],"token":"2D6Vfc3Nx2"}