{"biography":"Karen Johnson is a Democratic politician serving as the Davidson County Register of Deeds in Tennessee [1]. She assumed office in 2018 and her current term ends on September 1, 2026 [1]. Johnson is running for re-election in the Democratic primary for this position on May 5, 2026 [1]. She previously served as a member of the Nashville Metro Council representing District 29 from 2011 to 2018 [1]. During her time on the council, she was unanimously elected Council President Pro Tempore and helped lead major projects including Cane Ridge High School and Smith Springs Elementary [8]. She also served as a School Board Member [8].\n\nJohnson earned a bachelor's degree in business from Tennessee State University and an MBA from Trevecca Nazarene University [1]. Her professional background includes work in human resources with Mercy Health Services, the State of Tennessee, Hospital Corporation of America, and Shoney's Inc [1]. In 2019, she was designated as a certified public administrator by the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service CTAS [1]. She later became a Certified Public Manager through the same institute in 2022 [1]. Additionally, Johnson is a 2025 graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Executives in State and Local Government program [8].\n\nAs Register of Deeds, Johnson has implemented several innovations, including one of Tennessee\u2019s first Register of Deeds mobile apps and a Property Alert system designed to protect homeowners from fraud [8]. Her office is preparing to launch Real ID and passport services for residents in early 2026 [8]. Under her leadership, the office was named a Best Place to Work by the Nashville Business Journal in 2021, 2024, and 2025 [8]. Johnson made history as the first woman and first African American elected to the Register of Deeds office [8].\n\nJohnson has received numerous awards, including recognition as a Nashville Business Journal Woman of Influence, The Tennessean 40 Under 40, and TSU Woman of Legend and Merit in Government [8]. She is a Paul Harris Fellow with the Rotary Club of Nashville and serves on the boards of Sister Cities of Nashville and Historic Fort Negley [8]. She lives in Nashville with her husband, David, and their three sons [8].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Karen Johnson (Tennessee) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Johnson_(Tennessee))\n- [2] [Karen Johnson (Washington) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Johnson_(Washington))\n- [3] [Karen Johnson - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Johnson)\n- [4] [Karen Johnson (Crystal Lake Park District Commissioner Board At-large, Illinois, candidate 2025) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Johnson_(Crystal_Lake_Park_District_Commissioner_Board_At-large,_Illinois,_candidate_2025))\n- [5] [Karen Johnson (Lockport Township Trustee Board At-large (Will County), Illinois, candidate 2025) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Johnson_(Lockport_Township_Trustee_Board_At-large_(Will_County),_Illinois,_candidate_2025))\n- [6] [Karen Johnson (Town of Alex Board of Trustees, Oklahoma, candidate 2023) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Johnson_(Town_of_Alex_Board_of_Trustees,_Oklahoma,_candidate_2023))\n- [7] [Kevin Raye - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kevin_Raye)\n- [8] [Karen Johnson | Nashville.gov](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/register-deeds/people/karen-johnson)\n- [9] [Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johnson Completes Rotary Leadership Institute Program, Recognized as Paul Harris Fellow | Nashville.gov](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/register-deeds/news/davidson-county-register-deeds-karen-johnson-completes-rotary-leadership-institute-program-recognized-paul-harris-fellow)\n- [10] [Davidson County Register of Deeds | Nashville.gov](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/register-deeds)\n- [11] [Register of Deeds Karen Johnson Selected to Attend Prestigious Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program | Nashville.gov](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/register-deeds/news/register-deeds-karen-johnson-selected-attend-prestigious-harvard-kennedy-school-executive-program)\n- [12] [KAREN JOHNSON FOR CONGRESS - committee overview - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00553024/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"register","county":"Davidson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"Register Of Deeds"},{"contest":"county_register","county":"Davidson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"primary","state":"TN","title":"Register of Deeds"}],"cf_filings":[{"county":"davidson","displayname":"Johnson, Karen","documents":[{"datesubmitted":"04/30/26","documentid":"ABA6C474-FB59-4675-B315-8463AF5C179E","documentname":"Pre Primary 5/2026","documentnameid":["ABA6C474-FB59-4675-B315-8463AF5C179E","Pre Primary 5/2026"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"04/10/26","documentid":"E76064AF-4303-4071-89F5-5D3194D331B1","documentname":"1st Qtr 2026","documentnameid":["E76064AF-4303-4071-89F5-5D3194D331B1","1st Qtr 2026"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"02/08/26","documentid":"AEEAF540-76DE-4CB7-BF19-AA262E3CF19F","documentname":"2025 Year End Supp","documentnameid":["AEEAF540-76DE-4CB7-BF19-AA262E3CF19F","2025 Year End Supp"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"07/15/25","documentid":"258C446D-9164-466B-95C2-FE1D491FC100","documentname":"2025 Mid Year Supp","documentnameid":["258C446D-9164-466B-95C2-FE1D491FC100","2025 Mid Year Supp"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"02/03/25","documentid":"CA382748-80BA-4C47-9D94-0ECD2BB2659B","documentname":"2024 Year End Supp","documentnameid":["CA382748-80BA-4C47-9D94-0ECD2BB2659B","2024 Year End Supp"],"documenttype":"Campaign Financial Disclosure","electionname":null},{"datesubmitted":"11/05/24","documentid":"55253AA5-C78B-4AD8-A608-8E759C645282","documentname":"2026 Appointment of Treasurer","documentnameid":["55253AA5-C78B-4AD8-A608-8E759C645282","2026 Appointment of Treasurer"],"documenttype":"Appointment of  Treasurer","electionname":null}],"filertype":"Candidate","officename":"Register of Deeds","source_customer_id":"1A0C899A-456B-4913-BFF0-4A8B0AE932A1","source_filer_id":"F73ADDCA-E9A3-4253-B935-1440B67C3205","source_system":"easyvote","state":"TN","status":"Active"}],"firstname":"Karen","fullname":"Karen Johnson","lastname":"Johnson","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"register","contest_title":"Register Of Deeds","county":"Davidson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"register","office_title":null,"party":"D","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"register","contest_title":"Register Of Deeds","county":"Davidson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"register","office_title":null,"party":"D","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"D","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"register","office_title":"Register Of Deeds","state":"TN","terms":[]},{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_register","contest_title":"Register of Deeds","county":"Davidson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"davidson","office_key":"county_register","office_title":"Davidson County Register of Deeds","party":"D","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"}],"county":"davidson","cycles":[{"general":null,"party":"D","primary":{"contest":"county_register","contest_title":"Register of Deeds","county":"Davidson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-05-05","office_county":"davidson","office_key":"county_register","office_title":"Davidson County Register of Deeds","party":"D","pgr":"primary","state":"TN"},"term":null,"year":2026},{"general":null,"party":null,"primary":null,"term":{"county":"davidson","electiondate":"2022-08-04","office_county":"davidson","office_key":"county_register","office_title":"Davidson County Register of Deeds","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"},"year":2022}],"office_key":"county_register","office_title":"Davidson County Register of Deeds","state":"TN","terms":[{"county":"davidson","electiondate":"2022-08-04","office_county":"davidson","office_key":"county_register","office_title":"Davidson County Register of Deeds","party":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"}]}],"summary":"Karen Johnson is the incumbent Democratic Davidson County Register of Deeds in Tennessee, first elected in 2018 after serving on the Metro Council.","terms":[{"county":"davidson","electiondate":"2022-08-04","office":"county_register","state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","title":"Davidson County Register of Deeds"}],"token":"A1uDFAl0dA"}