{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Terri Klozik","chatgptsummary":"Terri Klozik's biography shows service on the Blount County Democratic Party executive committee, indicating familiarity with local party structures and constituent engagement relevant to district representation. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience in county budgeting, legislative drafting, or land use policy.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTerri Klozik is the Democratic Party nominee for Blount County Commission District 1, Seat B, on the August 6, 2026 county general election ballot, facing Republican nominee Keenan Sudderth for the seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Earl McMahan [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nKlozik is one of two District 1 representatives on the Blount County Democratic Party's executive committee [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Hats in the Ring: County Board of Commissioners Seat 1-B, The Daily Times](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/blount-county-board-of-commissioners-seat-1-b/pdf_23491b18-6aa2-40d2-bec2-8b8b2918f5bc.html), Marcus Fitzsimmons, April 2026 \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [August 6, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30077/August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Blount County Democrats \u2014 Tennessee Democratic Party](https://tndp.org/blount-county-democrats/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"Terri","lastname":"Klozik","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"sbv7Q3xSek"},"token":"terri_klozik"},{"candidatename":"Keenan Sudderth","chatgptsummary":"Keenan Sudderth's biography shows experience in education, workforce development, and community leadership through roles with Blount County Schools, Clayton Homes, and local nonprofits. The record documents no controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior experience in county budgeting, legislative drafting, or intergovernmental policy judgment.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nKeenan Sudderth is the Republican Party nominee for Blount County Commission District 1, Seat B, on the August 6, 2026 county general election ballot, facing Democratic nominee Terri Klozik for the seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Earl McMahan [1][2]. Sudderth won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over Andy Stanley by a single vote, 270\u2013269; as of the county's certification of results, no appeal had been filed with the state Republican Party [3].\n\n## Background and education\nPer his Daily Times \"Hats in the Ring\" candidate profile \u2014 where he is referred to as \"Dr. Keenan Sudderth\" \u2014 he is described as \"a lifelong Blount County resident, educator, and community advocate\" [1]. His LinkedIn profile lists him as \"Keenan Sudderth, Ed.S.\" and identifies him as a marketing educator in the Career and Technical Education program at Alcoa High School [4].\n\n## Career\nSudderth's candidate profile describes experience in education, workforce development, and community leadership, including work with Blount County Schools and Alcoa City Schools, industry experience with Clayton Homes, and support for higher education through Pellissippi State Community College and the University of Tennessee. He has also served with the Empty Pantry Fund, the Alcoa/Blount County Jaycees, the Alcoa City Schools Foundation, and as assistant director of Alcoa Youth Sports [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Hats in the Ring: County Board of Commissioners Seat 1-B, The Daily Times](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/blount-county-board-of-commissioners-seat-1-b/pdf_23491b18-6aa2-40d2-bec2-8b8b2918f5bc.html), Marcus Fitzsimmons, April 2026 \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [August 6, 2026 Official Ballot for Blount County](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30077/August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Election Commission certifies May results, The Daily Times](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/election-commission-certifies-may-results/article_ad2f8187-3594-4274-8a0d-8caa11a8dee3.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [Keenan Sudderth, Ed.S. \u2014 Marketing Educator \u2014 LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/keenan-sudderth-ed-s-30b1b3b6) \u2014 LinkedIn requires login; reflects the public profile as of July 2026","firstname":"Keenan","lastname":"Sudderth","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"VwcR3HCDIP"},"token":"keenan_sudderth"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_1_seat_b","officedescription":"A county commissioner is a member of the county's legislative body. The commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, authorizes borrowing, and passes county resolutions and ordinances. Commissioners are elected from districts (or at-large seats) to represent constituents on countywide policy.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on countywide matters \u2014 budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues \u2014 within Tennessee county-government law.\n- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.\n- Constituent relations in the district \u2014 case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Commissioner","partisan":null,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"County Commission District 1, Seat B"}