{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDon R. Bates is an Independent candidate for Perry County mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election.\n\n## Career\nBates is recorded as Vice Chairman of the Perry County Emergency Communications District \u2014 the county's 911 board \u2014 in the district's audited financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.[1] The Perry County government directory separately lists a Don Bates with the title \"Chief,\" based at 140 West School Street in Linden.[2]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Perry County Emergency Communications District, FY2023 Audit - Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury](https://comptroller.tn.gov/content/dam/cot/la/advanced-search/2023/emergency-communication-district/6503-2023-cn-perrye911-rpt-cpa517-9-13-23.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [County Government Directory - Perry County, Tennessee](https://gov.perrycountytn.com/government-directory) - accessed 2026-07-23","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_mayor","county":"Perry","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Mayor"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"DON","fullname":"DON R BATES","lastname":"BATES","middlename":"R","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_mayor","contest_title":"County Mayor","county":"Perry","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_mayor","contest_title":"County Mayor","county":"Perry","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"I","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":"County Mayor","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Independent candidate for Perry County mayor; serves as vice chairman of the county's 911 (Emergency Communications) District and is listed in the county directory as a chief.","terms":[],"token":"QN6GXLjL9s"}