{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Brian Gossett","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Brian","lastname":"Gossett","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"SpjRu5jQQW"},"token":"brian_gossett"},{"candidatename":"Ronnie \"Bo\" Burnett","chatgptsummary":"Burnett's twenty-four-year tenure as Marion County Sheriff demonstrates sustained public service and familiarity with county operations, though his background does not explicitly document experience in legislative budgeting or land-use policy making. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate prior experience serving on a county commission or drafting ordinances.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRonnie \"Bo\" Burnett is the Republican candidate for Marion County Commission, District 3 (Jasper), Seat A, on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot, where he faces independent Brian Gossett [1][2]. He won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary for the seat over Jason Nugent [3].\n\n## Office history\nBurnett is the sitting Marion County Sheriff and has held that office since 2002 [2][4]. He is not seeking re-election as sheriff, and the 2026 sheriff's race is an open contest [5]. He is instead running for a seat on the county commission [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [DECISION 2026: What's on the ballot in Marion County? (local3news.com)](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/decision/decision-2026-what-s-on-the-ballot-in-marion-county/article_55cd08e3-a2d9-4e9a-b93c-a85660ea2f05.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Who is running for Marion County commissioner in the May 2026 primary? (aol.com syndication)](https://www.aol.com/articles/running-marion-county-commissioner-may-230333976.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Official Ballot for Marion County Primary Election, May 5, 2026 (marionvotes.com)](https://marionvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Marion-2026P-Newspaper.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[4] [Office Holders (marioncountytn.net)](https://marioncountytn.net/office-holders) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[5] [Anthony Gamble Announces Candidacy For Marion County Sheriff (chattanoogan.com)](https://www.chattanoogan.com/2026/1/6/513102/Anthony-Gamble-Announces-Candidacy-For.aspx) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Ronnie","lastname":"Burnett","middlename":"\"Bo\"","suffix":null,"token":"4nVssjDRIv"},"token":"ronnie_bo_burnett"}],"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":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-20","title":"marion County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://marionvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Marion-Newspaper-8-6-26.pdf"},"title":"County Commissioner District 3, Seat A"}