← Back to Rutherford County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for County Commission District 04
general - Partisan - County Commissioner
About this office
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.
Term length: 4 years.
This role calls for
- Policy judgment on countywide matters — budget, taxes, land use, services, and intergovernmental issues — within Tennessee county-government law.
- Budget literacy: the commission approves the county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and authorizes multi-year bond issues.
- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances; committee work that pre-screens items.
- Constituent relations in the district — case-work and community issues flow through the commissioner's office.
- Willingness to complete the state-required annual continuing education through UT CTAS.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Robert Peay Jr.'s biography shows over two decades of service as Rutherford County Commissioner, including membership on Budget, Finance & Investment and Public Works committees, which aligns with the role's demands for budget literacy and legislative process experience. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior executive management experience or specific policy judgment on land use matters outside committee assignments.
Will Lehew's fifteen-year tenure with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office demonstrates relevant experience in public service and community relations for a county commissioner role. The biography documents no controversies or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate experience in budgeting, legislative drafting, or land use policy within Tennessee county-government law.
Know something about this race we don't?
Submit a contribution →