{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"NICK IVEY","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"NICK","lastname":"IVEY","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"VADMXubDLr"},"token":"nick_ivey"},{"candidatename":"PATRICIA SMITH","chatgptsummary":"Smith's career as a school principal and curriculum specialist demonstrates experience in educational policy and community advocacy relevant to constituent relations. Her service as an election worker provides direct familiarity with local voting procedures. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate experience in county budgeting, land use law, or legislative drafting within Tennessee government structures.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nPatricia N. Smith is the Democratic Party nominee for Sumner County Commission District 11, facing Republican Nick Ivey on the August 6, 2026 ballot [1]. Her stated priorities are school-library access, civic engagement, fair elections, and community service \"with integrity, compassion, and common sense\"; she has been active in local government advocacy on \"intellectual freedom\" and in opposing efforts to remove books from libraries [2].\n\n## Background and education\nSmith was born and raised in St. Louis County, Missouri, later moving to West Virginia with her husband to raise two children, and relocated to Tennessee about 13 years ago; she lives in the Sandersville Station area [2]. She holds two master's degrees in education [2].\n\n## Career\nSmith spent her career in public education as a special-education teacher, elementary educator, reading teacher, and curriculum specialist, retiring as an elementary school principal [2]. She has also served as an election worker [2].\n\n## Family\nShe is married with two children and has grandchildren in the area [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Federal and State Primary, State Judicial and Sumner County General Elections Sample Ballot](https://www.votesumnertn.org/uploads/files/884379eec0cf6e5fb6f5678acff70a3783bde79d.pdf) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Patricia Smith for District 11 \u2014 campaign site](https://pat4sumnercc11.com) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"PATRICIA","lastname":"SMITH","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"LqYF3xr4oM"},"token":"patricia_smith"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_11","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":"2026-07-19","title":"sumner County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.votesumnertn.org/uploads/files/b131fe1092a6465a92a366ccaf28782e09dcabe8.pdf"},"title":"County Commission District 11"}