{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Gary Shelton","chatgptsummary":"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.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nGary Shelton, a Republican, is an incumbent Greene County commissioner seeking re-election in County Commission District 5 (three seats) on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot [1][2]. He advanced from the May 2026 Republican primary with 987 votes; because no Democratic or independent candidates filed in District 5, the three Republican nominees are effectively unopposed in the general election [3].\n\n## Background and career\nShelton, 71, is assistant manager of Greene Farmers Co-op, where he has worked for 52 years [1].\n\n## Office history\nThe county's official listing shows Shelton as a current District 5 commissioner [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Gary Shelton, an incumbent county commissioner in the 5th District - Greeneville Sun](https://www.greenevillesun.com/news/local_news/gary-shelton-an-incumbent-county-commissioner-in-the-5th-district/article_cd61f504-fd8c-4320-b90f-5e5281dded1b.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [My Commissioners - Greene County, TN](https://www.greenecountytngov.com/my-commissioners/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [County Commission Will See New And Familiar Faces After Tuesday's Primary - WGRV](https://wgrv.com/county-commission-will-see-new-and-familiar-faces-after-tuesdays-primary/) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Gary","lastname":"Shelton","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"LoU6GCDBmE"},"token":"gary_shelton"},{"candidatename":"Wesley Holt","chatgptsummary":"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.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nWesley Holt, a Republican, is a candidate for Greene County Commission District 5 (three seats) on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot; he led the District 5 Republican primary field with 1,042 votes [1][2]. Because no Democratic or independent candidates filed in District 5, the three Republican nominees are effectively unopposed in the general election [1]. Holt has said he intends to be an advocate for first responders as a commissioner and to help the county manage growth [3].\n\n## Background and career\nHolt is the sitting Greene County sheriff and is retiring after 37 years in law enforcement, the past eight as sheriff [3][4]. He announced he would not seek re-election as sheriff and would instead run for the County Commission; his last day as sheriff is Aug. 31, 2026 [3][4]. He has cited a desire to spend more time with family, including an expected first grandchild [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [County Commission Will See New And Familiar Faces After Tuesday's Primary - WGRV](https://wgrv.com/county-commission-will-see-new-and-familiar-faces-after-tuesdays-primary/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Greene County Election Information / Sample Ballot, Aug. 6, 2026](https://www.greenecountytngov.com/election-information/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Retiring Sheriff Wesley Holt Seeks Greene County Commission Seat - WGRV](https://wgrv.com/2026/01/14/retiring-sheriff-wesley-holt-seeks-greene-county-commission-seat/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Greene County sheriff announces he won't seek reelection, will run for county commission - WBIR](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/greene-county-sheriff-announces-he-wont-seek-reelection/51-43d62468-8f19-4554-b374-ff71a545d9d8) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Wesley","lastname":"Holt","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"P83Id2mltQ"},"token":"wesley_holt"},{"candidatename":"Terry Cannon","chatgptsummary":"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.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTerry Cannon, a Republican, is a candidate for Greene County Commission District 5 (three seats) on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot, having received 917 votes to advance from the May 2026 Republican primary [1][2]. Because no Democratic or independent candidates filed in District 5, the three Republican nominees are effectively unopposed in the general election [2].\n\n## Background and career\nCannon, 74, is a retired Greeneville police chief [1]. He began his 42-year career with the Greeneville Police Department in 1976, was named chief in 2008, and retired in 2018 [1]. He is a lifetime member of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and has served as firing-range master at the Greene County Range and Firearms Sporting Complex [1][3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Terry Cannon, a candidate for the county commission in the 5th District - Greeneville Sun](https://www.greenevillesun.com/news/local_news/terry-cannon-a-candidate-for-the-county-commission-in-the-5th-district/article_00cc1565-d0aa-4cda-87d5-a84f894c1290.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [County Commission Will See New And Familiar Faces After Tuesday's Primary - WGRV](https://wgrv.com/county-commission-will-see-new-and-familiar-faces-after-tuesdays-primary/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Former Police Chief Cannon Honored At Range And Firearms Sports Complex - WGRV](https://wgrv.com/2025/03/19/former-police-chief-cannon-honored-at-range-and-firearms-sports-complex/) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Terry","lastname":"Cannon","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"jmij5ypBpL"},"token":"terry_cannon"}],"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":3,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"greene County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.greenecountytngov.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sample-Ballot-August-6-2026-Election.pdf"},"title":"County Commissioner District 5"}