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Richard Beeler
Office history
Richard "Richie" Beeler is a Republican candidate running for Knox County Clerk in the 2026 election [8]. He is the son of Richard Beeler, who served as Knox County's law director and bond counsel before his death in December 2025 following an accidental house fire [7]. The elder Beeler was also identified as a victim in that incident by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office [6].
Richie Beeler previously served as a Knox County commissioner [7]. In his campaign for county clerk, he describes himself as having "helped lead" the Clerk's office for the last four years prior to running [8]. He states that he intends to build on the work of incumbent Sherry Witt, aiming to support and empower the office's team to achieve excellence [8].
Beeler’s platform focuses on two primary areas: improving access to commission library records and enhancing motor vehicle services across the county [8]. To achieve these goals, he proposes identifying and implementing new technologies for the digitization of records [8]. Additionally, he plans to conduct a thorough analysis of population growth to determine where self-service technology or new office locations would best serve residents [8].
Beeler is one of three Republican candidates on the ballot for Knox County Clerk in the May 5, 2026 primary, alongside John J. Duncan and John R. Whitehead; no Democratic candidate is running for this position [8]. His campaign website, electrichiebeleler.com, emphasizes conservative values and trusted leadership [4].
Sources
- [1] Tennessee elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
- [2] Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
- [3] Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State
- [4] Committee to Elect Richie Beeler
- [6] KCSO identifies man who died after house fire in Knox County
- [7] KCSO identifies man who died in accidental house fire in Northeast Knox County | wbir.com
- [8] Meet the candidates for Knox County Clerk - Knox TN Today
- [10] Moncier files suit against Beeler
- [11] Richard Beeler Obituary (2015) - Knoxville, TN - Knoxville News Sentinel
- [12] Richard Beeler Obituary - Knoxville, TN - Share Memory
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)
- State offices (Governor, US Senate, US Rep, TN Senate, TN House, State Executive Committee) — Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. Click Search for Candidates and PACs, enter last name “Beeler”, and submit.
- 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 (“Beeler”).
Tennessee — statement of interest
- Required for state and local officials and candidates — Tennessee Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Search. Enter last name “Beeler”and, if needed, select the applicable position.