{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"NICK DAVIS","chatgptsummary":"Nick Davis currently serves on the Cumberland County Board of Education and has received the Tennessee School Boards Association's Level I Boardsmanship Award, demonstrating relevant policy judgment and training compliance. His biography documents a 5-4 vote against renewing the Director of Schools contract and a failed challenge regarding committee assignments. Bio does not indicate experience in budget literacy or constituent relations with parents and teachers.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nNick (Nicholas) Davis is the 5th District member of the Cumberland County Board of Education and is running as an independent for the seat in the August 6, 2026 election [1][4]. He has received the Tennessee School Boards Association's Level I Boardsmanship Award [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nOn January 23, 2025, the Board of Education voted 5-4 against renewing the contract of Director of Schools William Stepp; Davis was among the five members who voted against renewal [2]. Separately, Davis asked the board to reset its committee assignments after a November 30 special-called meeting that he said removed him from the board's policy committee; his challenge failed on a 5-4 vote [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Cumberland County Board of Education members](https://www.ccschools.k12tn.net/boardofeducation) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Outrage among parents after Cumberland County school board votes against keeping director \u2014 WATE (via Yahoo News)](https://www.yahoo.com/news/outrage-among-parents-cumberland-county-220710188.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Committee vote stands after being challenged \u2014 Crossville Chronicle](https://www.crossville-chronicle.com/news/local_news/committee-vote-stands-after-being-challenged/article_7cf0e766-9861-11ee-9e3e-13525689a309.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Cumberland County primary results, May 5, 2026 \u2014 The UC Now](https://theucnow.com/2026/05/05/wyatt-trustee-kerley-register-of-deeds-advance-in-cumberland/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"NICK","lastname":"DAVIS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"BKyNp1uj6x"},"token":"nick_davis"},{"candidatename":"CHRIS SEALS","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"CHRIS","lastname":"SEALS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"5Ht5oMxV9U"},"token":"chris_seals"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"school_board","o.office":null,"office":"county_school_board_district_5","officedescription":"A school board member serves on the elected body that governs a public school district. The board sets district policy and budget priorities and hires and evaluates the superintendent, while leaving day-to-day management to the administration.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment for a public school district \u2014 setting direction while leaving day-to-day management to the superintendent.\n- Budget literacy for operating and capital budgets, in coordination with the county commission (which appropriates) and the state.\n- Ability to hire, evaluate, and when necessary replace the superintendent \u2014 the board's highest-stakes recurring decision.\n- Constituent relations with parents, teachers, principals, and community members.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"School Board Member","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"cumberland County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://cumberlandcountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sample-Ballot-Aug-2026.pdf"},"title":"School Board District 5"}