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Tonet Griggs
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
Tonet Griggs is the incumbent Hardeman County Clerk and the Democratic Party nominee for re-election in the August 6, 2026 county general election, facing Republican nominee John Vickers 12.
Office history and career
Griggs was elected Hardeman County Clerk in August 2022 and previously worked as a deputy clerk in the office for 18 years 3.
Documented disputes and controversies
In September 2025, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury reported that Griggs had unlawfully charged couples a $60 fee to officiate weddings at the clerk's office. Investigators found she collected approximately $13,140 from at least 219 marriage ceremonies between September 2022 and July 2024, which represented about 56% of all couples obtaining marriage licenses in the county during that period 45. Tennessee law allows county clerks to accept voluntary gratuities for performing ceremonies but prohibits charging a fee; the Comptroller stated that Griggs "gave applicants no choice in paying her $60 officiating fee," and reported that she acknowledged being aware of and trained on the applicable law 4. Griggs reimbursed the full $13,140 to the county's general trust fund in September 2025 4.
Sources
Public filings
Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.
Tennessee — campaign finance (search)
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State offices (Governor, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee, statewide judiciary) —
Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “Griggs”, and submit.
US House, US Senate, and Presidential candidates file with the FEC — see the federal section below. - County and municipal offices (County Mayor, Commissioner, Sheriff, School Board, court clerks, municipal alderman, etc.) — most major TN counties use the EasyVote portal. Select the relevant county and search by candidate name (“Griggs”).
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Griggs”and, if needed, select the applicable position.