{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"STEVE SCOTT","chatgptsummary":"Steve Scott's biography shows current service on the Unicoi County Board of Education, demonstrating direct experience with policy judgment and constituent relations for a school district. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate budget literacy or specific experience in hiring and evaluating superintendents.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nSteve Scott is a sitting member of the Unicoi County Board of Education and is one of two Republican nominees on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot for the two School Board District 3 seats, an uncontested race with two candidates for two seats [1][2].\n\n## Office history\nScott is one of the six members of the Unicoi County Board of Education [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Official Ballot, State and County General Election, Unicoi County, August 6, 2026](https://unicoivotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COUNTY-GENERAL.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Unicoi County Schools \u2014 Board of Education](https://www.unicoischools.com/page/board-of-education) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"STEVE","lastname":"SCOTT","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"1zJmmwIzpr"},"token":"steve_scott"},{"candidatename":"STEVE WILLIS","chatgptsummary":"Steve Willis's thirty-one years in human resources and tenure as a city human resources director and assistant city manager demonstrate relevant hiring and evaluation skills for selecting a superintendent. His current role chairing the Unicoi County Board of Education and directing the Tennessee School Boards Association Northeast District indicates active constituent relations and familiarity with state training requirements. The biography does not indicate specific experience in district budget literacy or policy judgment regarding capital budgets.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nSteve Willis is chairman of the Unicoi County Board of Education, representing the 3rd District, and is one of two Republican nominees on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot for the two School Board District 3 seats, an uncontested race with two candidates for two seats [1][2][3].\n\n## Background and education\nWillis holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from East Tennessee State University [3].\n\n## Career\nWillis has 31 years of experience in human resources. He served as the City of Johnson City's human resources director from 2015 to 2021 and was subsequently appointed the city's assistant city manager [3].\n\n## Office history\nWillis chairs the Unicoi County Board of Education and serves as director of the Tennessee School Board Association's Northeast District [3][2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Official Ballot, State and County General Election, Unicoi County, August 6, 2026](https://unicoivotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COUNTY-GENERAL.pdf) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Unicoi County Schools \u2014 Board of Education](https://www.unicoischools.com/page/board-of-education) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Steve Willis \u2014 Tennessee Town & City (Tennessee Municipal League)](https://ttc.tml1.org/2023/03/28/steve-willis) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"STEVE","lastname":"WILLIS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"tCNH8PEEYO"},"token":"steve_willis"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"school_board","o.office":null,"office":"county_school_board_district_3","officedescription":"A school board member serves on the elected body that governs a public school district. The board sets district policy and budget priorities and hires and evaluates the superintendent, while leaving day-to-day management to the administration.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment for a public school district \u2014 setting direction while leaving day-to-day management to the superintendent.\n- Budget literacy for operating and capital budgets, in coordination with the county commission (which appropriates) and the state.\n- Ability to hire, evaluate, and when necessary replace the superintendent \u2014 the board's highest-stakes recurring decision.\n- Constituent relations with parents, teachers, principals, and community members.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"School Board Member","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":2,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-20","title":"unicoi County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://unicoivotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COUNTY-GENERAL.pdf"},"title":"School Board District 3"}