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AUSTIN DODSON
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
Austin Dodson is the Republican nominee for Overton County Executive on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot 4. He won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary with about 48 percent of the vote, advancing past Gregg Nivens and Steven Barlow 3. In his first run for public office he campaigns on "integrity, accountability, and conservative values," fiscal discipline, competitive bidding, hiring qualified applicants, moving public comment to the beginning of County Commission meetings, and support for volunteer fire departments, EMS, and small business 12.
Background and education
Dodson was born and raised in Overton County on his family's century-old farm and resides in Rickman 12. He graduated from Livingston Academy in 2015 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Tennessee Technological University's Whitson-Hester School of Nursing in three and a half years 12. He is enrolled in Tennessee Tech's Master of Science in Nursing program to become an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 1.
Career
Dodson has worked roughly seven to eight years as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at Cookeville Regional Medical Center 12. He is also a real estate investor and business owner with commercial property in Overton County, and earlier held entry-level jobs at the Rickman Marathon and Dollar General 1.
Family
He is the son of Ricky and Paige Dodson; his father, Ricky B. Dodson, is the incumbent Overton County School Board member for District 4 and a candidate on the same 2026 ballot 24.
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)
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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 “DODSON”, 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 (“DODSON”).
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “DODSON”and, if needed, select the applicable position.