{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Ronnie Miller","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Ronnie","lastname":"Miller","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"hD7jeuGcs8"},"token":"ronnie_miller"},{"candidatename":"Erick Dildine","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Erick","lastname":"Dildine","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"IZnOeHCgrB"},"token":"erick_dildine"},{"candidatename":"Javier Ortiz","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":null,"firstname":"Javier","lastname":"Ortiz","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"gCr50QTNey"},"token":"javier_ortiz"},{"candidatename":"Bill Templeton","chatgptsummary":"Bill Templeton's biography shows nearly twenty-four years in supply-chain management and production supervision, demonstrating operational oversight relevant to county budget literacy and legislative process. His long-term residence in White County and service as a cemetery trustee indicate established constituent relations within the district. The record contains no mention of disciplinary actions or controversies. Bio does not indicate experience with Tennessee county-government law or state-required continuing education through UT CTAS.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBill Templeton is a Republican candidate for White County Commission in District 2 in the August 6, 2026 general election. He and fellow Republican T.K. Austin each drew about 50% in the May 5 primary and advanced to the two-seat general election alongside independents Erick Dildine, Ronnie Miller and Javier Ortiz [2][3]. In his first run for office, Templeton says he decided to run after attending county commission meetings and identifying areas for improvement, including commissioner attendance policies and hiring practices [1].\n\n## Background and education\nTempleton has lived in Sparta since 1991 and has family ties to the Bone Cave and Laurel Creek communities of Van Buren County [1]. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University in 1981 [1]. He serves as a trustee for Long Cemetery in Van Buren County and as a deacon at Gum Springs Baptist Church in Walling [1].\n\n## Career\nTempleton recently retired from THK Rhythm after nearly 24 years, where he began as a production supervisor during the plant's startup and finished in supply-chain management; earlier in his career he worked as a machinist and tool-and-die maker and briefly drove a school bus for White County Schools [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [County Commission Candidate: Bill Templeton - Main Street Journal](https://www.mainstreetjournal.llc/election-2026-bill-templeton-county-commissioner/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Austin, Templeton Face Independents For White County Commission - The UC Now](https://theucnow.com/2026/05/05/austin-templeton-face-independents-for-white-county/) - accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [White County Election Guide: Who's Running in August - Main Street Journal](https://www.mainstreetjournal.llc/white-county-august-election-candidates-guide/) - accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"Bill","lastname":"Templeton","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"7U4uJEtSWk"},"token":"bill_templeton"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"county_commissioner","o.office":null,"office":"county_commission_district_2","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":"white County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://www.whitecountytnvotes.gov/_files/ugd/fb005c_1f7dd14e02f64a8284da79e9b9c03625.pdf"},"title":"County Commission District 2"}