HEATH GUNTER

Current office and 2026 campaign

Heath G. Gunter is the incumbent sheriff of Grundy County, Tennessee, and is running for re-election as an independent candidate on the August 6, 2026 county general election ballot ¹. He faces Republican nominee David Strieby and three other independent candidates ¹.

Office history

Gunter was elected sheriff in the August 2022 county general election, defeating Republican nominee and then-incumbent Clint Shrum by a margin of 1,618 to 1,455 ²⁵. He began his four-year term on September 1, 2022 ².

Documented disputes and controversies

Beginning in 2023, the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission audited the Grundy County Sheriff's Office and identified violations including uncertified deputies working alone as school resource officers, false reports, and failure to update certification documentation ³. Appearing before the commission on August 18, 2023, Gunter said, "I'm embarrassed," and acknowledged that his priority to protect students did not justify deploying uncertified officers; he said all schools then had certified officers assigned and announced that three office members would review all filed paperwork ³. A subsequent audit revealed additional violations; a sergeant later resigned, and the chief deputy was reinstated after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation determined he had not committed the violations initially alleged ³.

On January 16, 2025, the POST Commission voted to approve a settlement allowing Gunter to retain his certification ⁴. Under the agreement, Gunter admitted to two violations, agreed to forfeit state pay for two years, and agreed to complete additional training; the audit had found that he had provided false information about deputies' POST certifications since his 2022 election ⁴. Commission member Lacy Wilbur, who voted against the settlement, said, "We decertify on past behavior, not promises of future good behavior" ⁴.

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