{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Justin Baker","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Justin","lastname":"Baker","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"75kGczJRDz"},"token":"justin_baker"},{"candidatename":"Steven Franklin","chatgptsummary":"Steven Franklin's biography shows current service as a Marion County Commissioner, demonstrating direct experience with county budget approval, legislative processes, and constituent relations within Tennessee law. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior experience in state-level intergovernmental negotiations or specific land-use planning expertise.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nSteven Franklin is the Republican candidate for Marion County Commission, District 3 (Jasper), Seat B, on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot, where he faces independent Justin Baker [1]. He was the only candidate on the May 5, 2026 Republican primary ballot for the seat [2].\n\n## Office history\nFranklin currently serves as the District 3, Seat B member of the Marion County Commission, representing the Jasper area [3].\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] [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[3] [Leadership (marioncountytn.net)](https://marioncountytn.net/leadership) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Steven","lastname":"Franklin","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"oEfm1J5dJ1"},"token":"steven_franklin"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_3_seat_b","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":null,"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 B"}