{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"JAMES W. REEVES","chatgptsummary":"James W. Reeves brings thirty years of business ownership and U.S. Air Force service to the role, demonstrating executive management skills relevant to county operations. His biography documents two election loss controversies: alleging unproven voting irregularities after 2022 without filing a legal contest, and retracting an inaccurate claim regarding Ballad Health donations following legal pressure. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county government law or intergovernmental coordination with state and federal agencies.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJames W. Reeves, a Johnson City auto mechanic running as an independent, faces incumbent Republican Mayor Joe Grandy in the Aug. 6, 2026 general election \u2014 their third consecutive matchup [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nReeves served in the U.S. Air Force and worked as an auto mechanic for 30 years before opening Reeves Alignment and Auto Care in Johnson City, which he has run for more than six years [1].\n\n## Career\nReeves owns and operates Reeves Alignment and Auto Care. He describes himself as more fiscally conservative but less socially conservative than his opponents [1].\n\n## Office history\nReeves finished third with 14% in the 2010 Republican primary won by Dan Eldridge [2]; lost to Grandy by 644 votes (51.8%\u201348.2%) in the 2018 general election [2]; and lost to Grandy again by 139 votes out of 10,765 cast in the August 2022 general election [3].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\nAfter the 2022 loss, Reeves said \"they have stolen the election,\" alleging voting-machine tampering, without identifying who he meant; his statistical argument assumed every voter at a given machine voted identically, an assumption election officials disputed [4][5]. County election officials called the vote \"fair and honest\" and pointed to machine logs documenting power-on/off times [6]. Reeves ultimately did not file a legal contest, telling reporters he could not find a regional attorney willing to represent him [7]. Separately, in a 2022 campaign interview, Reeves said Mayor Grandy \"takes money from Ballad\" and other companies; Ballad Health's acting general counsel sent a letter demanding retraction, noting Ballad is a not-for-profit that does not donate to candidates. Reeves retracted the statement the same day, clarifying he meant individual Ballad employees, not the corporation [8].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Meet the candidates for Washington County Mayor: James Reeves \u2014 Herald Courier](https://heraldcourier.com/news/meet-the-candidates-for-washington-county-mayor-james-reeves/article_4d7faee9-055b-540b-9957-c9bfe87c1347.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [2022 Washington County, TN mayoral race is a rematch \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/2022-washington-county-tn-mayoral-race-is-a-rematch/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Joe Grandy narrowly wins race for Washington County mayor \u2014 Johnson City Press](https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/news/local-news/joe-grandy-narrowly-wins-race-for-washington-county-mayor/article_04e17bfc-1421-11ed-a494-1f5b604cf011.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] ['They have stolen the election': Reeves mulls contesting \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/they-have-stolen-the-election-reeves-mulls-contesting-washington-county-mayoral-election-results/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[5] [Former mayoral candidate launches new election fraud claims without providing evidence \u2014 WCYB](https://wcyb.com/news/local/former-mayoral-candidate-launches-new-election-fraud-claims-without-providing-evidence) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[6] [Washington County officials say August election was 'fair and honest' \u2014 Johnson City Press](https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/news/election/washington-county-officials-say-august-election-was-fair-and-honest/article_df32ef52-3852-11ed-9a6c-77f1e167e37d.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[7] [Washington County mayoral candidate Reeves opts not to contest election \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/washington-county-mayoral-candidate-reeves-opts-not-to-contest-election/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[8] [Candidate Reeves retracts Ballad donation statement after legal action threatened \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/ballad-threatens-lawsuit-over-campaign-donation-allegation-candidate-reeves-issues-retraction/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"JAMES","lastname":"REEVES","middlename":"W.","suffix":null,"token":"JOcGAU6i5g"},"token":"james_w_reeves"},{"candidatename":"JOE GRANDY","chatgptsummary":"Joe Grandy's biography shows relevant executive experience as Washington County Mayor since 2018 and prior service on the county commission including the Budget Committee. He has managed county operations and defended budgets before the commission while coordinating with local entities. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate federal agency coordination experience or specific crisis-management experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoe Grandy is the incumbent Washington County Mayor, seeking a third term in the Aug. 6, 2026 general election as the Republican nominee against independent challenger James W. Reeves [1][2]. Grandy announced his reelection campaign in December 2025 [1].\n\n## Background and education\nGrandy grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1975 with a degree in psychology [3].\n\n## Career\nGrandy has worked for Ferguson Enterprises, a plumbing and building-supply company, since 1977, rising to area manager [3].\n\n## Office history\nGrandy was elected to the Washington County Commission representing District 6 in 2010 and served two terms, including committee work on the Budget Committee, Animal Control Board, County Library Board, Johnson City Power Board and Reapportionment Committee [3][4]. He was first elected County Mayor in August 2018, succeeding Dan Eldridge, who did not seek reelection [5]. He won a second term in 2022, defeating County Commissioner Robbie Tester in the May 3, 2022 Republican primary with about 52% of the vote [6], then defeating Reeves in the August 2022 general election by 139 votes out of 10,765 cast [7].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Washington County, Tennessee Mayor Joe Grandy running for reelection \u2014 WCYB](https://wcyb.com/news/local/washington-county-tennessee-mayor-joe-grandy-running-for-reelection) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Washington County, Tennessee Mayor seeking re-election \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/washington-county-tennessee-mayor-seeking-re-election/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Grandy promises leadership for Washington County \u2014 Herald & Tribune](https://www.heraldandtribune.com/news/local/grandy-promises-leadership-for-washington-county/article_36b34b0f-b147-501b-b517-46e7b601b305.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [Mayor-elect Joe Grandy faces challenges with divided Washington County, political foe on commission \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/mayor-elect-joe-grandy-faces-challenges-with-divided-washington-county-political-foe-on-commission/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[5] [Trail's End: Grandy wins contentious mayoral campaign \u2014 JC News & Neighbor](https://jcnewsandneighbor.com/trails-end-grandy-wins-contentious-mayoral-campaign-roe-earns-republican-nomination/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[6] [Establishment backing helps Grandy win shot at 2nd Washington County mayor term \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/establishment-backing-helps-grandy-win-shot-at-2nd-washington-county-mayor-term/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[7] [Joe Grandy narrowly wins race for Washington County mayor \u2014 Johnson City Press](https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/news/local-news/joe-grandy-narrowly-wins-race-for-washington-county-mayor/article_04e17bfc-1421-11ed-a494-1f5b604cf011.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"JOE","lastname":"GRANDY","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"g1LHWSiTaj"},"token":"joe_grandy"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_mayor","o.office":null,"office":"county_mayor","officedescription":"The county mayor (county executive in some counties) is the county's chief executive and administrative officer. The mayor prepares the annual budget for the county commission, oversees the daily operation of county departments, and represents the county in intergovernmental dealings. It is an administrative office: the commission sets policy, the mayor runs the operation.","officequalities":"- Executive management of county government across departments such as roads, finance, planning, and emergency management.\n- Ability to prepare and defend an annual budget before the county commission.\n- Intergovernmental capacity: coordinating with the municipalities within the county, the State of Tennessee, and federal agencies.\n- Working familiarity with Tennessee county-government law, the county charter where one exists, and open-meetings and procurement rules.\n- Public-facing communication and, when needed, crisis-management skills.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Mayor","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-02","title":"Washington County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"http://www.wcecoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Full-Sample-Ballots.pdf"},"title":"County Mayor"}