{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Ashley R Dillon","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nAshley R. Dillon ran for Hamilton County, Tennessee, Board of Education District 3 in the August 6, 2024, general election. She ran on a platform she described as \"Getting Back to the Basics,\" emphasizing foundational academic skills and increased transparency between schools and families.\n\nDillon's campaign centered on returning schools to emphasis on core academic subjects, improving reading and math proficiency, and ensuring parents have greater access to information about curriculum and classroom activities. She also highlighted the importance of mental health support resources within schools.\n\n## Background and education\nAshley Dillon earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in 2011. She subsequently earned a Master of Science in Professional Counseling from Richmont Graduate University. She holds licensure as a professional counselor in Tennessee.\n\n## Career\nDillon has worked as a licensed therapist since approximately 2015, providing mental health counseling services in the Chattanooga area. Her professional background in counseling and child development informed her campaign focus on student mental health and academic readiness.\n\nDillon has been active in local parent and education advocacy groups in the Chattanooga area.\n\n## Family\nAshley Dillon is married and has three children who attend Hamilton County schools.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Hamilton County Board of Education District 3 Election \u2013 Hamilton County Election Commission](https://www.hamiltontn.gov/elections)\n- [2] [Ashley Dillon candidate filing \u2013 Tennessee Secretary of State](https://www.sos.tn.gov)\n","firstname":"Ashley","lastname":"Dillon","middlename":"R","suffix":null,"token":"qbzvZW04dl"},"token":"ashley_r_dillon"},{"candidatename":"Ruth Walker","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"Ruth Walker is a Democratic candidate running for election to the Hamilton County Board of Education to represent District 3 in Tennessee [1]. She is on the ballot in the Democratic primary scheduled for May 5, 2026, with the general election set for August 6, 2026 [1]. Walker identifies professionally as an educator, psychologist, and mother [7]. Her campaign website states she has over 15 years of experience in education and aims to advocate for students, teachers, and families within Hamilton County Schools [7]. She describes her priorities as listening, learning, and collaborating with the community to address concerns and hopes for the schools [7]. Walker is affiliated with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), where she is listed in the psychology department directory [12]. Her professional email address is drruthwalker@utc.edu [1]. She has established a campaign website at www.walkerfordistrict3.com, which outlines her platform and provides information on District 3 schools, including Big Ridge Elementary, DuPont Elementary, Hixson Elementary, McConnell Elementary, Middle Valley Elementary, Hixson Middle, Loftis Middle, and Hixson High [7]. Walker has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey [1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Ruth Walker](https://ballotpedia.org/Ruth_Walker)\n- [2] [Tennessee elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_elections,_2026)\n- [3] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n- [4] [2026 Election United States House - Tennessee - District 05 - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/house/TN/05/2026/)\n- [5] [Candidate Information | Williamson County, TN - Official Site](https://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/1743/Candidate-Information)\n- [6] [2026 Election United States Senate - Tennessee - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/senate/TN/2026/)\n- [7] [Ruth Walker for School Board District 3](https://www.walkerfordistrict3.com/)\n- [8] [Community Voice: Money talks, and it says invest in our Hamilton County public schools | Chattanooga Times Free Press](http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/apr/25/community-voice-money-talks-and-it-says-invest-in/)\n- [11] [AFSCME Retirees: Ruth Walker | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)](https://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-retirees-ruth-walker)\n- [12] [ptd539-Psychology-Ruth Walker | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga](https://www.utc.edu/directory/ptd539-psychology-ruth-walker/ptd539)","firstname":"Ruth","lastname":"Walker","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"gtv0NzgKDK"},"token":"ruth_walker"},{"candidatename":"Tom Marshall","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTom Marshall sought the Republican nomination for the Hamilton County Schools District 3 seat (the Hixson area) in 2026, but Tennessee Republican Party officials ruled him ineligible for the Republican primary ballot in early March 2026, placing him on the party's \"non-bona-fide\" list because he had not voted in three of the last four Republican primary elections [1][2]. As a result, Marshall did not appear on the May 5, 2026 Republican primary ballot [1]. Public reporting reviewed for this bio does not show Marshall pursuing an independent or write-in path onto the August 6, 2026 general-election ballot; the District 3 general-election ballot lists Republican Ashley Dillon, Democrat Ruth Walker and independent Sandy Pricer [3]. Marshall previously ran for the Chattanooga City Council District 3 seat in the March 2025 city election and lost to Jeff Davis [4].\n\n## Background and education\nMarshall is a native of the Hixson community in Hamilton County [4].\n\n## Career\nMarshall and his father owned Billy T & Tom Signs in Hixson for more than 40 years, later expanding the business into digital signage and graphics [4][5]. He has also worked as an owner's representative for DeFoor Brothers, a Chattanooga-area development company [4].\n\n## Family\nMarshall's children attended local Hixson-area schools [5].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Hamilton County school board candidate removed from Republican primary ballot - Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/mar/06/hamilton-county-school-board-candidate-removed/) - accessed 2026-07-06 (paywalled; content above reflects the headline/lede reported)\n[2] [Here are the candidates on the Republican non bona fide list in our area - WDEF](https://www.wdef.com/here-who-is-on-the-republican-non-bona-fide-list-in-our-area/) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Here's who's running for Hamilton County school boards - some chose a political party - WFYI](https://www.wfyi.org/education/2026-07-01/hamilton-county-school-board-candidates-2026-election) - accessed 2026-07-06; [Ashley Dillon focusing on transparency in race for Hixson area Hamilton County school board seat - Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/jul/01/ashley-dillon-focusing-on-transparency-in-race/) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [Tom Marshall, Hixson's Hometown Candidate With A Servant's Heart - Chattanoogan.com](https://www.chattanoogan.com/2025/2/17/499427/Tom-Marshall-Hixsons-Hometown.aspx) - accessed 2026-07-06; [DECISION 2025: Jeff Davis wins Chattanooga City Council District 3 seat - Local 3 News](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/decision/decision-2025-meet-the-chattanooga-city-council-district-3-candidates/article_a75a6176-ea5e-11ef-bf97-833290c7525e.html) - accessed 2026-07-06\n[5] [Marshall's service recommends him and more letters to the editors - Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/feb/23/marshalls-service-recommends-him/) - accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"Tom","lastname":"Marshall","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"IE5OToSIPR"},"token":"tom_marshall"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":"3","districtgroup":"county_school_board","districtgroupname":"County School Board","districtname":"District 3","job_type":"school_board","o.office":"county_school_board_district_3","office":"county_school_board_district_3","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 on a large urban district \u2014 Memphis-Shelby County Schools serves roughly 110,000 students across more than 200 schools, with a budget over a billion dollars.\n- Budget literacy for both operating and capital budgets, in coordination with the County Commission (which appropriates) and the Tennessee Department of Education.\n- Ability to hire, evaluate, and when necessary replace the superintendent \u2014 historically the highest-stakes recurring decision the board makes.\n- Constituent relations with parents, teachers, principals, and community members across an economically and racially diverse district.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association School Board Academy.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Hamilton County Schools Board District 3","partisan":1,"pgr":"primary","quantity":null,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"County School Board District 3"}