{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"STACY D. VAUGHAN","chatgptsummary":"Vaughan's fourteen-year tenure as Hawkins County Commissioner demonstrates relevant policy judgment and budget literacy through chairing personnel, public safety, and budget committees. His background includes supervising law enforcement teams and managing a family farm, alongside extensive training in budgeting and leadership. Bio does not indicate recent experience with state-mandated continuing education or current intergovernmental negotiations beyond his prior association service.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nStacy D. Vaughan is the Republican Party nominee for Hawkins County Commission District 3 on the August 6, 2026 ballot [1].\n\n## Background and education\nVaughan graduated from Volunteer High School and Walters State Community College [2]. He completed the Leadership Hawkins program in 2006 and has obtained more than 1,500 hours of training in public safety, law enforcement, budgeting, team leadership, and employee management [2].\n\n## Career\nVaughan is employed as a patrol shift supervisor (sergeant) with the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office, supervising and managing a team of patrol deputies, and is an adjunct instructor at Walters State Community College's police academy program [2]. He is a fourth-generation farmer actively engaged in agriculture on his family farm [2].\n\n## Office history\nVaughan previously served 14 years as County Commissioner for District 3, chairing committees including airport, personnel, public buildings, public safety, and budget [2]. He served on the executive board of the Tennessee County Commissioners Association representing 33 eastern counties and participated in the Tennessee County Services Association [2]. He also chaired the University of Tennessee's Hawkins County Agriculture Extension office board and served on the Holston Business Development Group board [2]. In October 2017 the commission appointed him Chairman Pro-Tempore for a term running through the fourth Monday of September 2018 [3]. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Hawkins County Mayor in the May 2022 Republican primary [2].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\nHe operates his family's fourth-generation farm [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Hawkins County Sample Ballot, August 6, 2026](https://hawkinscountytn.gov/pdfs/elections/sample_ballot.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18\n[2] [Stacy Vaughan for Hawkins County Mayor (Rogersville Review)](https://www.therogersvillereview.com/rogersville/article_9a12cd70-1f90-53f4-8431-c874f465f91c.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18\n[3] [Hawkins County Commission October 2017 Regular Session Resolution](https://www.hawkinscountyclerk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/October-2017-Regular-Session-Resolution.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18","firstname":"STACY","lastname":"VAUGHAN","middlename":"D.","suffix":null,"token":"odhNl4FOmy"},"token":"stacy_d_vaughan"},{"candidatename":"MATTHEW WILLIAMS","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"MATTHEW","lastname":"WILLIAMS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"gFayP3EPRF"},"token":"matthew_williams"},{"candidatename":"RODNEY ROBERSON","chatgptsummary":"Rodney Roberson's biography shows relevant experience in public administration through roles as a school principal, facilities energy manager, and housing authority director, demonstrating familiarity with county operations and budget management. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate legislative drafting experience or specific continuing education completion for the commission role.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRodney Roberson is an Independent candidate for Hawkins County Commission District 3 on the August 6, 2026 ballot [1]. The Rogersville Review has identified him as the Rogersville Housing director in coverage of the 2026 commission race [2].\n\n## Career\nRoberson served as principal of Carters Valley Elementary School in Church Hill, where he was named Hawkins County Schools Principal of the Year for 2019-2020 [3]. In summer 2022 he transitioned from that role to become assistant supervisor and energy manager with Hawkins County Schools' facilities and maintenance department [4]. He is currently listed as Executive Director of the Rogersville Housing Authority [5].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Hawkins County Sample Ballot, August 6, 2026](https://hawkinscountytn.gov/pdfs/elections/sample_ballot.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18\n[2] [Hawkins voters have plenty of options (Rogersville Review)](https://www.therogersvillereview.com/news/article_a72b5833-32a6-408c-84a9-21f45511c5f5.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18\n[3] [Rodney Roberson named 2019-2020 HCS Principal of the Year (Facebook)](https://www.facebook.com/100046305622499/posts/congratulations-to-mr-rodney-roberson-for-being-named-2019-2020-hcs-principal-of/2915131305196493/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18\n[4] [Hawkins Schools have three new principals, one new Supervisor, one change in Central Office (Rogersville Review)](https://www.therogersvillereview.com/community/article_ccbef678-02cd-11ed-9602-fb99c0eaf1df.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18\n[5] [Rogersville Housing Authority \u2014 Our Staff](https://rogersvillehousing.com/About-Us/Our-Staff) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-18","firstname":"RODNEY","lastname":"ROBERSON","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"sE9bsE02vG"},"token":"rodney_roberson"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_3","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":2,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-18","title":"Hawkins County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.hawkinscountytn.gov/pdfs/elections/sample_ballot.pdf"},"title":"County Commissioner District 3"}