{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBill 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 [2][3]. 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].\n\n## Background and education\nTempleton 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].\n\n## Career\nTempleton 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].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [County Commission Candidate: Bill Templeton - Main Street Journal](https://www.mainstreetjournal.llc/election-2026-bill-templeton-county-commissioner/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Austin, Templeton Face Independents For White County Commission - The UC Now](https://theucnow.com/2026/05/05/austin-templeton-face-independents-for-white-county/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [White County Election Guide: Who's Running in August - Main Street Journal](https://www.mainstreetjournal.llc/white-county-august-election-candidates-guide/) - accessed 2026-07-23","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","county":"White","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Commission District 2"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Bill","fullname":"Bill Templeton","lastname":"Templeton","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","contest_title":"County Commission District 2","county":"White","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_district_2","contest_title":"County Commission District 2","county":"White","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":null,"party":"R","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"R","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission_district_2","office_title":"County Commission District 2","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Republican candidate for White County Commission District 2; retired THK Rhythm supply-chain manager and MTSU graduate making his first run for office.","terms":[],"token":"7U4uJEtSWk"}