{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Eric Scott","chatgptsummary":"Eric Scott's biography shows relevant experience as a former police supervisor and current Training Officer who secured $4 million in grants for equipment and school resources. He possesses a law-enforcement background including narcotics investigation, training academy instruction, and military service as a Combat Medic. Bio does not indicate direct experience managing county jail operations or developing the office's overall operating budget.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nEric Scott is an independent candidate for Sheriff of Hancock County, Tennessee, on the August 6, 2026 county-general ballot. He announced his independent candidacy in October 2025, campaigning on transparency, accountability, and applying the law equally without political favoritism [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nScott describes an early orientation toward service as a Cub Scout and high-school peer counselor. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves, trained as a Combat Medic and Behavioral Science Specialist, and served during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the Gulf War [1].\n\n## Career\nScott served as a law-enforcement officer with the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland, progressing from patrol officer to detective to patrol supervisor, and holding specialty roles including Director of In-Service and Specialized Training and assignments in narcotics, missing-persons investigation, and the police training academy before retiring [1]. After relocating to Hancock County, he founded Protect 1 Firearms Training and Security Assessments in 2017, providing handgun-permit classes and active-shooter training to schools, churches, and medical facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky [1]. He joined the Hancock County Sheriff's Office in 2018 as Training Officer and Grants Coordinator, and says he has written $4 million in grants for the agency to fund equipment, vehicles, technology, and school-resource-officer positions [1].\n\n## Career and community involvement\nScott is a member of Sneedville American Legion Post #183, where he has served as Post Adjutant, Assistant Post Commander, and Post Commander, and helped start a Veterans Pantry providing supplemental food to Hancock County veterans [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Biography - Eric Scott for Hancock County Sheriff](https://eforhcs.com/biography/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Eric Scott for Hancock County Sheriff (campaign home)](https://eforhcs.com/) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Eric","lastname":"Scott","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"JY97s3kCAH"},"token":"eric_scott"},{"candidatename":"Brad Brewer","chatgptsummary":"Brad Brewer's twenty-four-year tenure in the Hancock County Sheriff's Department, including eight years as a detective and sixteen as a deputy, demonstrates relevant law-enforcement experience for leading patrol and investigations. His office received recognition from the Tennessee Narcotic Officers Association for drug enforcement efforts, indicating operational success in criminal cases. Bio does not indicate specific experience managing county jail operations or developing the office's operating budget.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBrad Brewer is the incumbent Sheriff of Hancock County, Tennessee, and is the Republican candidate for sheriff on the August 6, 2026 county-general ballot [1][2].\n\n## Career\nBrewer worked for the Hancock County Sheriff's Department for 24 years \u2014 eight as a detective and 16 as a deputy \u2014 before being elected sheriff [3].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nAs sheriff, Brewer launched \"Taking Back Hancock County,\" an anti-drug enforcement effort targeting crystal-meth and opioid trafficking; the Rogersville Review reported it produced 110 indictments against 45 people [3]. The Hancock County Sheriff's Office was among agencies recognized by the Tennessee Narcotic Officers Association for work on a major methamphetamine case [4].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [County Sheriff - Hancock County, TN](https://www.hancockcountytn.com/local_public_service_directory/county_sheriff.php) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Local Public Service Directory - Hancock County, TN](https://www.hancockcountytn.com/local_public_service_directory/index.php) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [TAKING BACK HANCOCK COUNTY: Sheriff Brewer announces major drug indictments - The Rogersville Review](https://www.therogersvillereview.com/rogersville/article_9a0720ad-70ab-50fe-9562-9cd3211e12c3.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Massive meth ring bust results in award for area drug task force - Kingsport Times News](https://www.timesnews.net/Law-Enforcement/2019/11/30/HCSO-among-agencies-recognized-by-Tennessee-Narcotic-Officers-Association.html) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Brad","lastname":"Brewer","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"DZr70di2XV"},"token":"brad_brewer"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"sheriff","o.office":null,"office":"sheriff","officedescription":"The sheriff is the county's chief law-enforcement officer. The office operates the county jail, provides court security, serves civil process and executes warrants, and provides patrol and investigation \u2014 a large operational command with a substantial budget.","officequalities":"- Organizational leadership of a sheriff's office spanning patrol, investigations, court services, and the county jail.\n- Oversight of the county jail, including intake, inmate health, and release procedures.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee criminal law, court process, and constitutional search-and-seizure standards.\n- Ability to develop and oversee the office's operating budget with public accountability.\n- Coordination with municipal police departments and neighboring-county and state agencies.\n- A documented law-enforcement or public-safety background.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Sheriff","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-22","title":"Hancock County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.hancockcountytn.com/doc00834520260709094709.pdf"},"title":"Sheriff"}