← Back to Greene County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for County Commissioner District 5
general - Partisan - County Commissioner
Elect 3 candidates
About this office
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.
Term length: 4 years.
This role calls for
- Policy judgment on countywide matters — budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues — within Tennessee county-government law.
- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.
- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.
- Constituent relations in the district — case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.
- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Gary Shelton's biography shows current service as a Greene County commissioner and fifty-two years of employment at a local co-op, demonstrating familiarity with county governance and constituent relations. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience in drafting legislation or managing multi-year bond issues.
Wesley Holt's thirty-seven years in law enforcement and eight as sheriff demonstrate experience with public safety administration and community relations relevant to constituent services. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience in budget literacy, legislative drafting, or land use policy judgment required for countywide fiscal and zoning decisions.
Terry Cannon's forty-two-year law enforcement career, including serving as Greeneville police chief until 2018, demonstrates administrative leadership and familiarity with county operations relevant to constituent relations and policy judgment. The biography contains no record of controversy or disciplinary action. Bio does not indicate experience in budget literacy or legislative drafting required for commission duties.
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