{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"VINCE WALTERS","chatgptsummary":"Vince Walters' biography shows four years of service on the Washington County Board of Education, demonstrating experience in policy judgment and constituent relations. Records indicate he participated in a 2026 special session regarding the censure of a fellow member over an inappropriate remark to a student. Bio does not indicate budget literacy or superintendent evaluation experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nVince Walters, a Washington County Board of Education member representing District 1 since 2022, is running as a Republican for reelection on the Aug. 6, 2026 general-election ballot [1]. Walters led the District 1 field in the May 2026 Republican primary with 1,542 votes [2].\n\n## Office history\nWalters was elected to the board in 2022 [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nDuring the board's April 2026 special session on censuring fellow District 1 member Keith Ervin over a remark to a student board member, Walters said he believed Ervin's comment was inappropriate but favored censure rather than harsher discipline, citing state law limiting the board's options against an elected member [3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [One Vote Election Project Washington County \u2014 Tennessee Democracy Network](https://www.tndemocracynetwork.org/onevotewashington) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Washington County school board member who called student 'hot' trails in May primary \u2014 WVLT](https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/05/20/washington-county-school-board-member-who-called-student-hot-trails-may-primary/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] [Washington Co. BOE votes to censure Keith Ervin after comment to student \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/live-washington-co-boe-meets-to-discuss-keith-ervins-comment-to-student/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"VINCE","lastname":"WALTERS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"6q0hZSfXGb"},"token":"vince_walters"},{"candidatename":"MARY GRACE (MG) WOOTEN","chatgptsummary":"Mary Grace Wooten's biography shows constituent relations through her participation in a board censure session regarding a member's remark to a student. The record notes no disciplinary history or specific experience with district budget literacy, policy judgment for setting direction, or the hiring and evaluation of a superintendent. Bio does not indicate experience with operating budgets or state-mandated training completion.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMary Grace \"MG\" Wooten is the Democratic candidate for Washington County Board of Education District 1 in the Aug. 6, 2026 general election, running against Republicans Keith Ervin, Annette Buchanan and Vince Walters [1].\n\n## Background and education\nWooten has cerebral palsy and communicates using a text-to-speech program [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nPer her campaign, Wooten says that if elected she will work to increase teacher pay and improve student nutrition, and that her focus is ensuring every child has access to a high-quality education regardless of background [1].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\nWooten attended the board's April 2026 censure session on member Keith Ervin's remark to a student board member and said afterward she was disappointed Ervin did not apologize or resign at the meeting [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Democratic BOE candidate says she wishes Ervin resigned at censure meeting \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/democratic-boe-candidate-says-she-wishes-ervin-resigned-at-censure-meeting/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"MARY","lastname":"WOOTEN","middlename":"GRACE (MG)","suffix":null,"token":"DwWMKRBOHJ"},"token":"mary_grace_mg_wooten"},{"candidatename":"ANNETTE BUCHANAN","chatgptsummary":"Annette Buchanan's biography shows current service as a Washington County School Board member and chair, demonstrating direct experience with policy judgment, constituent relations, and the role of hiring or evaluating superintendents. The record notes her placement in a 2026 primary election against other candidates. Bio does not indicate specific budget literacy experience or completion of state-required annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAnnette Buchanan is chair of the Washington County, Tennessee Board of Education, representing District One [1]. She is one of four candidates on the August 6, 2026 general-election ballot for three open District One seats, competing against incumbent Keith Ervin, Vince Walters, and Democrat Mary Grace \"MG\" Wooten, with a fifth candidate, Jimmy Johnson, mounting a write-in campaign [2][3]. In the May 5, 2026 Republican primary, Buchanan placed second among three Republican candidates with 1,480 votes, behind Vince Walters (1,542) and ahead of incumbent Keith Ervin (999) [2].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Parents demand action after School Board Member Keith Ervin's comments at recent meeting - WCYB](https://wcyb.com/news/local/administrator-of-elections-says-board-member-keith-ervin-cannot-be-terminated-only-resign) - accessed 2026-07-06\n- [2] [Washington County school board member who called student 'hot' trails in May primary - WVLT](https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/05/20/washington-county-school-board-member-who-called-student-hot-trails-may-primary/) - accessed 2026-07-06\n- [3] [Embattled Washington County TN school board member Keith Ervin to face 4 candidates in upcoming election - 96.9 WXBQ](https://www.969wxbq.com/embattled-washington-county-tn-school-board-member-keith-ervin-to-face-4-candidates-in-upcoming-election/) - accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"ANNETTE","lastname":"BUCHANAN","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"MDaZ6cYgTI"},"token":"annette_buchanan"},{"candidatename":"KEITH ERVIN","chatgptsummary":"Keith Ervin's biography shows over a decade of service on the Washington County Board of Education, demonstrating experience with policy judgment and constituent relations. However, records document a 2026 unanimous censure for inappropriate comments toward a student board member and an assault charge, alongside a prior 2009 censure for a sexual gesture. Bio does not indicate budget literacy or superintendent evaluation experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nKeith Ervin is a Washington County Board of Education member representing District 1, running as a Republican for reelection on the Aug. 6, 2026 general-election ballot [1]. Ervin finished third in the May 2026 Republican primary with 999 votes, trailing Vince Walters (1,542) and board chair Annette Buchanan (1,480) [2].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\nAt an April 2, 2026 Washington County Board of Education meeting, Ervin was recorded telling a student board member, \"God, you're hot, you know that? Where do you go to school at?\" and appeared to reach over and touch her shoulder [3][4]. The remark prompted public outcry, including a Change.org petition calling for Ervin's removal that gathered more than 2,500 signatures [5]. Board chair Annette Buchanan called Ervin's comments and actions \"shocking\" and said he \"objectified and diminished a young woman\" [4]. On April 8, 2026, the board voted unanimously to censure Ervin at a special session; Tennessee's Administrator of Elections said an elected board member cannot be removed from office, only resign, making censure the board's only available disciplinary tool [6]. Ervin has said the video clip lacks context and that he meant only to compliment the student's questions during the meeting; he did not resign [7]. A Washington County grand jury indicted Ervin on May 11, 2026, on a charge of assault-physical contact, a Class B misdemeanor, based on allegations he \"intentionally or knowingly\" caused physical contact with the student; he is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 7, 2026 [8][9]. WSMV reported that Ervin was censured once before, in 2009, for making a \"lewd, juvenile gesture of a sexual nature\" in a classroom at David Crockett High School [10]. Per Ballotpedia, Ervin was first elected to the board in 2006 [11].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Three file for write-in candidacy in Washington County, TN school board race \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/three-file-for-write-in-candidacy-in-washington-county-tn-school-board-race/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Washington County school board member who called student 'hot' trails in May primary \u2014 WVLT](https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/05/20/washington-county-school-board-member-who-called-student-hot-trails-may-primary/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[3] ['You Are All Cowards' | Washington County Student School Board Member Called 'Hot' Calls for Change \u2014 WVLT](https://www.wvlt.tv/2026/05/08/you-are-all-cowards-washington-county-student-school-board-member-called-hot-calls-change/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[4] [Washington County School Board unanimously votes to censure board member Keith Ervin \u2014 WCYB](https://wcyb.com/news/local/washington-county-tenn-school-board-member-censured) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[5] [Petition: Fire Jerry Boyd and Keith Ervin from Washington County Board of Education \u2014 Change.org](https://www.change.org/p/fire-jerry-boyd-and-keith-ervin-from-washington-county-board-of-education) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[6] [Parents demand action after School Board Member Keith Ervin's comments \u2014 WCYB](https://wcyb.com/news/local/administrator-of-elections-says-board-member-keith-ervin-cannot-be-terminated-only-resign) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[7] [School board member censured for telling student, 'God, you're hot,' says it was taken out of context \u2014 WWNY](https://www.wwnytv.com/2026/04/10/school-board-member-censured-telling-student-god-youre-hot-says-it-was-taken-out-context/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[8] [Censured school board member Keith Ervin charged with assault \u2014 WJHL](https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/censured-school-board-member-keith-ervin-charged-with-assault/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[9] [Washington County, TN, school board member indicted on assault charge following meeting incident \u2014 Local 3 News](https://www.local3news.com/local-news/washington-county-tn-school-board-member-indicted-on-assault-charge-following-meeting-incident/article_e1840b02-4424-4a82-9472-0801800cf763.html) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[10] [TN school board member who called female student 'hot' censured over a decade ago for 'gesture of a sexual nature' \u2014 WSMV](https://www.wsmv.com/2026/04/08/tn-school-board-member-who-called-female-student-hot-censured-over-decade-ago-gesture-sexual-nature/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06\n[11] [Keith Ervin \u2014 Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Keith_Ervin) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-06","firstname":"KEITH","lastname":"ERVIN","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"Wm7X4nZKVu"},"token":"keith_ervin"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"school_board","o.office":null,"office":"county_school_board_district_1","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":3,"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 School Board District 1"}