{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"WILLIAM TUCK","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"WILLIAM","lastname":"TUCK","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"RbGxLhoovu"},"token":"william_tuck"},{"candidatename":"JOSEPH \"JOEY\" WILBURN","chatgptsummary":"Joseph Wilburn's biography shows relevant experience as an incumbent sheriff with a National Guard background and over two decades in Macon County law enforcement. He has overseen jail operations including work-release programs and recovery courts while managing technology for fugitive searches. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior experience developing a county operating budget or coordinating with neighboring state agencies.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoseph \"Joey\" Wilburn is the incumbent Macon County Sheriff and the Republican nominee for re-election in the August 6, 2026 county general election [1][2]. He won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary with 3,214 votes (98.3%), with 55 write-in votes recorded [2]. An independent candidate, William D. Tuck, is also on the general-election ballot [3]. Wilburn has said his central concern is reducing recidivism: \"I think the State of Tennessee alone spends somewhere around $500 million on incarceration\" [1].\n\n## Background\nWilburn enlisted in the National Guard immediately after high school in 2004, completed basic training that December, and deployed to Iraq with the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment [1].\n\n## Career\nWilburn joined the Macon County Sheriff's Department in September 2006, following his military service, and later was elected sheriff [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nAs sheriff, Wilburn established the Babynov work-release program, under which participants earn wages while incarcerated, save money for reentry, and pay outstanding fines and fees; he says the program has recovered about $100,000 in fees and fines [1]. He has emphasized addiction treatment through a recovery-court approach, saying, \"These are human beings who have had it hard somewhere down the road, and I want to do what I can to change that for them\" [1]. He supports license-plate-reader (FLOCK) technology for locating abducted persons and fugitives and defends in-vehicle laptop systems for deputies [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [A second term for Wilburn? - Lebanon Democrat](https://www.lebanondemocrat.com/maconcounty/news/a-second-term-for-wilburn/article_3eca265d-9dae-5e1b-99f0-ab048a899568.html) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Macon County May 5, 2026 Primary Election Results - Macon County Chronicle](https://www.maconcountychronicle.com/2026/05/13/macon-county-may-5-2026-primary-election-results/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Macon County elections shaping up as petitions are picked up and turned in - Lebanon Democrat](https://www.lebanondemocrat.com/maconcounty/news/macon-county-elections-shaping-up-as-petitions-are-picked-up-and-turned-in/article_e7448b5f-74ca-5490-a8b4-06f5d0136fe1.html) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"JOSEPH","lastname":"WILBURN","middlename":"\"JOEY\"","suffix":null,"token":"togLKI1sxP"},"token":"joseph_joey_wilburn"}],"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":"2026-07-20","title":"macon County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.maconcountytn.gov/Macon%20PG26%20Newspaper%20Ballot%20(1).pdf"},"title":"Sheriff"}