{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Joyce Washington","chatgptsummary":"Washington's biography shows leadership in community dialogue and housing administration through co-founding a reconciliation project and chairing the Martin Housing Authority. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate experience with county budget approval, legislative drafting, or state-mandated continuing education.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJoyce Washington of Martin is a candidate for a District 5 seat on the Weakley County Commission on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot.\n\n## Background\nWashington grew up in neighboring Obion County in the 1950s and 1960s, experiencing segregation firsthand. She spent about 40 years living in northern California before returning to northwest Tennessee, and she now lives in Martin [1].\n\n## Career and community leadership\nWashington is a co-founder, in 2018, of the Weakley County Reconciliation Project, a grassroots group that promotes community dialogue about race and racism and works to memorialize local lynching victims; she facilitates its book discussions and has led participant trips to the Equal Justice Initiative's Legacy Museum and memorial in Montgomery, Alabama [1]. She also chairs the Martin Housing Authority [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Reconciliation group heals terror of the past one relationship at a time - Institute for Public Service Reporting, Memphis](https://www.psrmemphis.org/reconciliation-group-heals-terror-of-the-past-one-relationship-at-a-time/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [February 3: Joyce Washington - Tennessee Department of Health](https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/division-of-health-disparities-elimination-/black-history-month-2022/february-3--joyce-washington-.html) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Joyce","lastname":"Washington","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"VUK4EDYkyN"},"token":"joyce_washington"},{"candidatename":"David B. Moore","chatgptsummary":"David Moore's biography shows relevant experience for county commissioner duties through his tenure as a police chief, teaching criminal justice, and consulting on municipal management. He currently serves on the commission's Finance and Public Safety committees, demonstrating familiarity with legislative processes and budget oversight. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary actions. Bio does not indicate prior elected office experience or specific land use planning experience.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDavid Moore was appointed to a District 5 seat on the Weakley County Commission on March 16, 2026, and is a candidate on the August 6, 2026 county general ballot [1].\n\n## Career\nMoore retired as chief of police for the City of Martin after a law-enforcement career spanning 1989 to 2015 [1]. He has taught criminal justice in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Martin, and since 2019 he has served as a police management consultant with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service [1]. He serves on the commission's Finance, Ways and Means Committee and Public Safety Committee [1].\n\n## Family\nMoore lives in Martin with his wife, Lisa; they have two daughters, two sons-in-law and three grandchildren, and the family attends First Baptist Church in Martin [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Weakley County Commissioner David Moore](https://www.weakleycountytn.gov/larrytaylor-267726.html) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"David","lastname":"Moore","middlename":"R","suffix":null,"token":"c6L9qsESC8"},"token":"david_b_moore"},{"candidatename":"Milton Morel","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Milton","lastname":"Morel","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"K93u1AIu2m"},"token":"milton_morel"},{"candidatename":"Sam Goyette","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Sam","lastname":"Goyette","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"aVcngkamYu"},"token":"sam_goyette"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_5","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":2,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-20","title":"weakley County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.govoteweakley.gov/uploads/1/5/3/6/153624680/26_aug_weakley_county_gen_sample.pdf"},"title":"County Commissioner District 5"}