←All People
Bill Templeton
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
Bill Templeton is a Republican candidate for White County Commission in District 2 in the August 6, 2026 general election. He and fellow Republican T.K. Austin each drew about 50% in the May 5 primary and advanced to the two-seat general election alongside independents Erick Dildine, Ronnie Miller and Javier Ortiz 23. In his first run for office, Templeton says he decided to run after attending county commission meetings and identifying areas for improvement, including commissioner attendance policies and hiring practices 1.
Background and education
Templeton has lived in Sparta since 1991 and has family ties to the Bone Cave and Laurel Creek communities of Van Buren County 1. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University in 1981 1. He serves as a trustee for Long Cemetery in Van Buren County and as a deacon at Gum Springs Baptist Church in Walling 1.
Career
Templeton recently retired from THK Rhythm after nearly 24 years, where he began as a production supervisor during the plant's startup and finished in supply-chain management; earlier in his career he worked as a machinist and tool-and-die maker and briefly drove a school bus for White County Schools 1.
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)
-
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 “Templeton”, 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 (“Templeton”).
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Templeton”and, if needed, select the applicable position.