{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"JOE E. SHULTS","chatgptsummary":"Joe E. Shults brings thirty-eight years of business ownership and real estate appraisal experience, alongside leadership roles in nonprofit finance and audit committees, which align with executive management and budget oversight demands. He has no documented controversies or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county-government law or crisis-management skills.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoe E. Shults is the Republican nominee for Cocke County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election, where he faces independent candidate Chad Burchette [1][2]. A political newcomer, Shults won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary, defeating incumbent Mayor Rob Mathis 3,733 votes to 2,724 [1]. He campaigned on recruiting jobs and industry to the county and raised questions about a recent county zoning vote [3]. His campaign platform is framed as an eight-year strategic plan covering financial stabilization and transparency, industry and job recruitment, infrastructure and broadband, workforce and vocational training, public safety, environmental protection, and youth leadership development [4]. After the primary he said, \"Tonight, the people of Cocke County chose a new direction. I'm humbled by their trust, grateful for every vote and ready to get to work delivering the leadership and results our county deserves\" [1].\n\n## Background and education\nShults describes himself as born and raised in Cocke County [4].\n\n## Career\nShults is a business owner and real estate appraiser who says he has built and operated multiple businesses in Cocke County over 38 years [4]. He has held leadership roles with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), serving nine years as vice president and six years as president of the organization's Tennessee State Chapter [4]. He currently serves on the NWTF National Board of Directors as chair of its Audit Committee and on its Finance, By-Law, and Building committees, and reports 15 years on a Tennessee state committee focused on environmental and habitat funding [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Shults wins Republican Primary while McClure, McCallister and Nease reelected - Newport Plain Talk](https://www.newportplaintalk.com/news/article_458ff09b-5268-4c54-944b-ff99b1b4c7ae.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [August 6, 2026 Cocke County General Election Official Sample Ballot](https://cockecountyelections.org/s/2026-AUGUST-COCKE-COUNTY-GENERAL-SAMPLE-BALLOT.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis loses Republican bid for reelection to Joe Shults; candidates raise questions about zoning - WBIR](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/hamblen-jefferson-cocke-greene/cocke-county-mayor-rob-mathis-loses-republican-bid-for-reelection-to-joe-shults/51-1e199ec2-8b15-4475-9f5c-3563a0f9b5fc) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Joe Shults for Cocke County Mayor - campaign site](https://www.joeshults.com/) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"JOE","lastname":"SHULTS","middlename":"E.","suffix":null,"token":"FrpSK579cu"},"token":"joe_e_shults"},{"candidatename":"CHAD BURCHETTE","chatgptsummary":"Chad Burchette's biography shows long-term local residency, business ownership in landscaping and excavation, and teaching experience, which may support executive management and public communication for county mayor. The record notes he ran as an independent despite lifelong Republican affiliation and missed recent party primaries. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county-government law or annual budget preparation before a county commission.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nChad Burchette is running as an independent candidate for Cocke County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election against Republican nominee Joe Shults [1][2]. A lifelong Republican by affiliation, Burchette is on the ballot as an independent; Shults publicly noted that Burchette had not voted in three of the last four Republican primaries [3]. Announcing his candidacy, Burchette said, \"I feel I have the drive, motivation, and knowledge to operate the Cocke County government efficiently with a purpose and a plan,\" and framed his campaign around networking to bring opportunities to the county and positioning it to compete [1]. He added, \"A vote for me is a vote for our children, our workers, our retirees, our well-being and our financial future as a county and as individuals\" [1].\n\n## Background and education\nBurchette is a lifelong Cocke County resident who comes from a family of educators [1]. He graduated from Cocke County High School in 1995, earned an associate degree in production horticulture from Walters State Community College, a bachelor's degree in general studies (with minors in environmental health and criminal justice) from East Tennessee State University, and a master's degree in education from Carson-Newman College [1]. He is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Cocke County [1].\n\n## Career\nBurchette has owned Burchette Landscaping since 1995 and expanded into excavation with Burchette Earthworks around 2010 [1]. He has taught at Edgemont Elementary, Cosby High School, and Del Rio Elementary, and worked as a district sales coordinator for Aflac [1]. He holds state licenses for septic and EI pump installation [1].\n\n## Family\nBurchette foregrounded his family's education background in his campaign announcement: his mother served as director of schools for Newport and his father was principal of Smoky Mountain Elementary [1]. His wife teaches at Del Rio Elementary, and he has two children and two stepchildren [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Chad Burchette announces candidacy for Cocke County mayor - Newport Plain Talk](https://www.newportplaintalk.com/news/article_d2456622-f5f5-42e5-a27d-d7f5fed51a0e.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [August 6, 2026 Cocke County General Election Official Sample Ballot](https://cockecountyelections.org/s/2026-AUGUST-COCKE-COUNTY-GENERAL-SAMPLE-BALLOT.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis loses Republican bid for reelection to Joe Shults - WBIR](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/hamblen-jefferson-cocke-greene/cocke-county-mayor-rob-mathis-loses-republican-bid-for-reelection-to-joe-shults/51-1e199ec2-8b15-4475-9f5c-3563a0f9b5fc) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"CHAD","lastname":"BURCHETTE","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"zKg8PCpOG4"},"token":"chad_burchette"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_mayor","o.office":null,"office":"county_mayor","officedescription":"The county mayor (county executive in some counties) is the county's chief executive and administrative officer. The mayor prepares the annual budget for the county commission, oversees the daily operation of county departments, and represents the county in intergovernmental dealings. It is an administrative office: the commission sets policy, the mayor runs the operation.","officequalities":"- Executive management of county government across departments such as roads, finance, planning, and emergency management.\n- Ability to prepare and defend an annual budget before the county commission.\n- Intergovernmental capacity: coordinating with the municipalities within the county, the State of Tennessee, and federal agencies.\n- Working familiarity with Tennessee county-government law, the county charter where one exists, and open-meetings and procurement rules.\n- Public-facing communication and, when needed, crisis-management skills.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Mayor","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"cocke County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://cockecountyelections.org/s/2026-AUGUST-COCKE-COUNTY-GENERAL-SAMPLE-BALLOT.pdf"},"title":"County Mayor"}