{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Bob Ramsey","chatgptsummary":"Bob Ramsey's biography shows extensive relevant experience for Blount County Commissioner, including serving on the commission from 1990 to 2008 as chairman and acting county mayor, plus fifteen years in the Tennessee House where he drafted legislation and received awards for open government. The record documents no controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate recent continuing education experience or current constituent case-work experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBob Ramsey, a former state representative, filed as a Republican for Blount County Commission District 5, Seat A [1][2]. He is not currently a county commissioner; the seat opened because incumbent Jared Anderson chose to run for county mayor [2]. Ramsey drew no primary or general-election opponent [2][3].\n\n## Background and education\nRamsey was born March 13, 1947, and graduated from Maryville High School in 1965 [4][5]. He holds a B.S. in biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis [4][5].\n\n## Career\nRamsey worked as a dentist before retiring from that profession [5].\n\n## Office history\nRamsey served on the Blount County Commission for District 5 from 1990 to 2008, including nine years as chairman, and as interim county executive (1992) and acting county mayor (2006) [5]. He then represented Tennessee House District 20 as a Republican from January 2009 to January 2023, winning re-election in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020, before losing renomination to Bryan Richey in the August 2022 primary [4].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nRamsey was named an Outstanding Representative by the Tennessee County Officials Association (2012) and received the Tennessee Press Association's Open Government Award (2016). He served on the Blount County Board of Health, Regional Solid Waste Authority, Agricultural Extension Committee, Community Action Agency, and Regional Planning Commission, and was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Maryville [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Blount County Election Commission, \"May 5, 2026 Petitions\"](https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29506/May-5-2026-Petitions-PDF) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [The Daily Times, \"Blount County primary fields are set\"](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/blount-county-primary-fields-are-set/article_c928c6a7-a486-43e4-823e-3028b38b0891.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [The Daily Times, \"County commission gets younger after primary election\"](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/county-commission-gets-younger-after-primary-election/article_11996870-3dd9-40e8-9cac-76fc68bc0ca9.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [Wikipedia, \"Bob Ramsey (politician)\"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ramsey_(politician)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[5] [The Daily Times, \"Daily Times Wall of Fame to add four members\"](https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/daily-times-wall-of-fame-to-add-four-members/article_8e26f0ed-1800-5d2b-948f-386b31182f54.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"Bob","lastname":"Ramsey","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"5Lmfbh2emz"},"token":"bob_ramsey"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_5","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":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-02","title":"Blount County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.blounttn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30077/August-6-2026-Sample-Ballot-PDF"},"title":"County Commission District 5, Seat A"}