August elections held in 70 municipalities

By KATE COIL

TT&C Assistant Editor

Elections were held in 70 municipalities on Aug. 6, 2026, to coincide with state and federal primary elections. 

A further 205 municipal elections or special elections are scheduled to coincide with state and federal general elections on Nov. 3, 2026.  

ALEXANDRIA 

Incumbent Jeff Ford defeated challenger Jeremy Prince to retain the mayoral seat in Alexandria. Ford received 127 votes to Prince’s 15.  

Incumbent Debbie Fischer will be joined by newcomers Margaret Stevens and write-in candidate Susan Wooten Holmes after defeating incumbent David Cripps and newcomers Eddie Tubbs, Tony Griffith, and Cason Oakley for the three open seats on the Alexandria Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Fischer earned 151 votes, Stevens 150, Holmes 115, Oakley 87, Griffith 82, Cripps 81, and Tubbs 37.  

In the unexpired alderman race, Curtis Rutter defeated Danny Parkerson with Rutter earning 118 votes to Parkerson’s 113.  

ALGOOD 

Newcomer Tiffany Anton defeated Alderman Billy Bilbrey and challenger Danny Richardson to secure the Algood mayoral seat. Mayor Lisa Champan-Fowler did not seek re-election. 

Anton earned 378 votes followed by Richardson with 291 and Bilbrey with 199.  

Newcomers Dan Taylor and Bryan Payne fended off challenges from Taylor Hill and Tim Mcpherson to take the two open seats on the Algood City Council. Taylor earned 426 votes followed by Payne with 418, Hill with 276, and Mcpherson with 208.  

No incumbents qualified for the race.  

ARLINGTON 

Three incumbents retained seats in Arlington’s Board of Alderman Races.  

Incumbent Jeremy Biggs defeated challenger Donald A. Hinkle 1,726 to 632 to retain the Alderman Position 6 seat. Incumbents Oscar Brooks and Harry McKee both ran unopposed for their seats. Brooks earned 2,085 complimentary votes in the Position 4 race while McKee earned 2,134 complimentary votes in the Position 5 race.  

ASHLAND CITY 

Incumbents Tim Adkins and Kevin Thompson ran unopposed and were re-elected to their respective council seats on the Ashland City Council. Adkins received 198 complimentary votes in the Ward 2 race and Thompson earned 241 in the Ward 3 race. No candidate qualified for the Ward 1 race. 

BAILEYTON 

No candidates qualified for the two open seats on the Baileyton Board of Mayor and Aldermen.  

BARTLETT 

Incumbent Tim Francaville ran unopposed and was re-elected municipal judge in Bartlett with 8,591 complimentary votes.  

BAXTER 

Incumbent Greg Phillips will be joined by newcomer Brian H. Burgess after defeating Caleb Bryant and Richard Waller for the two open seats on the Baxter City Council. Burgess led the vote count with 158 followed by Greg Phillips with 133, Waller with 108, and Bryant with 95.  

BELL BUCKLE 

Incumbent Ronnie W. Lokey ran unopposed and was re-elected mayor with 90 complimentary votes. 

Two newcomers will join the Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen after Brieanna L. Akers and Annie Rooney defeated incumbent David B. Vannatta and challenger Jason Hatchett for the two open seats.  

Akers led the vote tally with 66 followed by Rooney with 58, Vannatta with 52, and Hatchett with 34.  

BYRDSTOWN 

Incumbent Sam Gibson ran unopposed and was re-elected mayor of Byrdstown with 203 votes.  

Incumbents John Keisling, Barbara Mitchell, and Jeff D. Rich fended off challenger Billy Robbins for the three open alderman seats. Keisling secured 185 votes followed by Rich with 173, Mitchell with 162, and Robbins with 67. 

Incumbent Johnny Sells ran unopposed and secured 200 complimentary votes for the town recorder seat.  

CELINA 

Newcomers Kevin Lee Boles and Dorothy Burchett-Forney took the two open seats on the Celina Board of Aldermen, defeating fellow challengers Patricia Ann Burton, Cassondra Abbott Cornell, Charles Robert Cox, and Tonya Spears.  

Boles led the vote tally with 221 followed by Burchett-Forney with 147, Cornell with 146, Cox with 138, Spears with 118, and Burton with 80.  

CHAPEL HILL 

Incumbent Benjamin A. Piper Sr. ran unopposed and was re-elected Chapel Hill mayor with 326 complimentary votes.  

Incumbent Phillip Manners will be joined on the Board of Aldermen by newcomers Ben Hudson and Nathan L. Pierce with three open seats on the ballot. Hudson led the vote count with 230, followed by Manners with 220, and Pierson with 198.  

CHARLESTON 

Incumbent Faye Callaway ran unopposed and received 67 votes for the open seat on the Charleston City Commission. Incumbent Matthew C. Wiley also ran unopposed for the unexpired term on the council, receiving 75 complimentary votes.  

CHARLOTTE 

Incumbent Garland Breeden ran unopposed for the Charlotte mayoral seat, earning 232 complimentary votes.  

Incumbents Chris Deloach and Melinda F. Miller will be joined on the Charlotte City Council by newcomers Donnie Allen, Ben Killebrew, Jim Robertson, and Mika Sesler after defeating incumbent Justin Caleb Story for the six open council seats. Allen led the vote count with 199 followed by Killebrew with 176, Robertson with 170, Miller with 169, Sesler with 162, Deloach with 158, and Story with 139.  

CLARKSBURG 

Incumbent Howell Wayne Todd fended off challenger Jeff Reed in the Clarksburg mayoral race. Todd earned 74 votes to Reed’s 48.  

Incumbents Barbara A. McClure and Judy Grant Smith ran unopposed and were re-elected to the two open alderman seats. Smith received 89 votes while McClure earned 88.  

CLEVELAND 

Incumbent Kevin Brooks ran unopposed and received 4,522 complimentary votes in the mayoral race.  

In the District 2 Council race, newcomer Hiawatha Brown defeated incumbent Marsha McKenzie and challenger Brandon Gibson for the seat. Brown led the vote tally with 294 followed by McKenzie with 218 and Gibson with 149.  

Incumbents Ken Webb and Bill Estes were also unopposed for their respective Council seats. Webb received 4,373 complimentary votes for the at-large seat while Estes received 380 complimentary votes for the District 2 seat.  

COLLEGEDALE  

Incumbent Curtis L. Bowe III ran unopposed and was re-elected Collegedale’s municipal judge with 911 complimentary votes.  

COOKEVILLE 

Incumbents Chad Gilbert, Luke Eldridge and Ali Bagci will be joined by newcomers Cigi England and Kelly McCorkle Parkison after incumbents Laurin Wheaton and Eric Walker did not seek re-election. Unsuccessful candidates for the five open seats included Mason Harville, Sam Matson, Damon Prince, Sam Raper, Nick Stone, and Trenton Tyler Strode.  

Gilbert earned the most votes with 3,268 followed by Eldridge with 3,170, England with 2,769, Bagci with 2,563, Parkison with 2,507, Raper with 2,020, Harville with 1,825, Strode with 1,789, Matson with 1,701, Prince with 1,393, and Stone with 795.  

DOWELLTOWN 

Incumbents Tisha Hendrixson and Eric Dwain Snow both ran unopposed and were elected to two of the three open seats on the Dowelltown Board of Mayor and Alderman. Hendrixson received 45 votes while Snow received 43.  

EASTVIEW 

Incumbent Elvis Butler defeated Alderman Chase Koehler to retain the Eastview mayoral seat. Butler earned 76 votes to Koehler’s 69.  

Only three candidates qualified for the five open alderman seats. Incumbents Luke Robbins and Jeff Walker will be joined by Robbie Richards on the council. Richards led the vote tally with 102 followed by Walker with 100 and Robbins with 97.  

ELIZABETHTON 

Incumbent Teresa Murray Smith ran unopposed and was re-elected to the unexpired municipal judge seat in Elizabethton. Smith was appointed to the seat in March 2025, and previously served in the role in 2020. 

ELKTON 

Incumbent Alderman William Bonjour ran unopposed and was re-elected to the Elkton Board of Mayor and Aldermen with 92 complimentary votes.  

ENGLEWOOD 

Incumbent Richard Robinson will be joined by newcomer Virginia Key after ousting incumbent Jerry Shirk for the two open city commission seats in Englewood. Key and Robinson each received 103 votes while Shirk received 80.  

ENVILLE 

Incumbent Melinda Johnson ran unopposed and was re-elected Enville mayor with 1 vote.  

Two candidates ran for the five open seats on the Enville Board of Alderman with incumbents Wanda Kaye Ritter and Nickalaus Weatherington receiving 29 and 28 votes, respectively.  

ERIN 

Newcomer Curtis Lamberth defeated incumbent Paul Bailey and challenger Ashley Parchman Arnold for the mayoral seat in Erin. Lamberth led the vote count with 150, followed by Bailey with 109, and Arnold with 74.  

Three incumbents ran unopposed and were elected to open alderman seats. Lisa A. Moore received 57 complimentary votes in Ward 1, Cary Rye 68 in Ward 3, and Pam Lowery received 95 in Ward 4. 

No candidate qualified for the open Ward 2 seat.  

ETOWAH 

Incumbent Laura Floyd will be joined by Chris James and Jim Swayne on the Etowah City Commission after ousting incumbent Edward Burke Garwood for the three available seats. Swayne led the vote tally with 315 followed by James with 257, Floyd with 249, and Garwood with 156.  

FAIRVIEW 

Incumbent Gina Mangrum Cox fended off challenger Debra Bufalini to retain the municipal judge seat in Fairview. Cox earned 1,289 votes to Bufalini’s 558.  

FARRAGUT 

Alderman Alex Cain defeated former alderwoman and vice mayor Louise Povlin for the mayoral seat after incumbent Ron Williams did not seek re-election. Cain received 3,099 votes to Povlin’s 3,034. 

In the Ward 1 seat, incumbent Joey Rufallo defeated Dian Hall with 1,339 votes to 1,257. The seat was previously held by Scott Meyer.  

Necomer Greg Wiberley unseated incumbent Joe LaCroix for the Ward 2 position. Wiberley earned 1,516 votes to LaCroix’s 1,441.  

FRIENDSVILLE 

Incumbents Jonathan D. Newberry and Shane Rogers will be joined by newcomer Dale Wilkins after the three ran unopposed for the open seats on the Friendsville City Commission. Rogers led the vote tally with 98, followed by Newberry with 90, and Wilkins with 85.  

GAINESBORO 

Newcomer Ricky Head ran unopposed and was elected to the mayoral seat in Gainesboro with 122 votes. The seat was previously held by Lloyd F. Williams, who did not seek re-election. 

Incumbents Tom Goetz, Deborah Whitaker, and Beth Young ran unopposed for the three open alderman seats and were re-elected. Whitaker received 119 votes and Goetz and Young each received 107.  

GREENBRIER 

Two incumbents ran unopposed and were re-elected to alderman seats in Greenbrier. Billy Ray Dorris received 164 complimentary votes for the Ward 1 seat while Alisha H. Allgood received 230 complimentary votes for the Ward 2 seat. 

No candidate qualified for the Ward 3 seat.  

GREENEVILLE  

Newcomers Angelo Botta and Flint Carter ran unopposed for the two open Ward 2 Alderman seats in Greeneville previously held by Tim Teague and Matt Hensley. Carter received 924 votes while Botta received 827. 

Incumbent Johnny Honeycutt ran unopposed and was re-elected water commissioner with 1,707 votes.  

HARRIMAN 

Incumbents Johnny Brackett and Alicia Harris will be joined by Bear Tidwell on the Harriman City Council. Harris led the vote tally with 583, followed by Tidwell with 572, and Brackett with 527.  

Incumbent Lonnie H. Wright also ran unopposed and received 655 votes for the unexpired term on the council.  

HENDERSON 

Incumbents Mark A. Barber, Donna Butler, and Keith Smith ran unopposed for the three open alderman seats in Henderson. Butler led the vote count with 468 followed by Butler with 467, and Smith with 461.  

JOHNSON CITY 

Newcomer Stephanie A. Sherwood fended off challengers Dustin David Jones and Lisa Witherspoon for the juvenile court judge position in Johnson City. Sharon M. Green previously served in the role but did not seek re-election. 

Sherwood earned 3,681 votes, followed by Witherspoon with 2,959, and Jones with 1,822.  

KINGSPORT 

Incumbent Paul Montgomery fended off challenger Tim Sanders in the mayoral race. Montgomery earned 5,199 votes while Sanders received 1,792.  

Newcomers Julie Byers, Richard Isaacs, and Calvin Clifton defeated challengers Joshua B. McMillan and Tom Seglehorst for the three open alderman seats. Incumbents Betsy Cooper, Colette George, and Gary Mayes did not seek re-election. 

Byers led the vote count with 4,329 followed by Isaacs with 3,657, Clifton with 3,440, Segelhorst with 3,235, and McMillan with 2,484. 

LEWISBURG 

Newcomer Jack H. Cathey defeated challenger Joseph Bradford for the Lewisburg mayoral seat previously held by Jim Bingham. Cathey earned 1,182 votes to Bradford’s 653.  

Incumbent Ronald Robinson fended off challengers Jessica Limbird and Mark A. Wilson to retain the Ward 3 Council seat. Robinson earned 119 votes, followed by Limbird with 87, and Wilson with 41.  

Newcomer Barbara Woods unseated incumbent Tommy G. Burns for the Ward 4 council seat. Woods earned 267 votes to Burns’ 170.  

In the uncontested Ward 2 race, incumbent Vickie Michael received 525 complimentary votes.  

LIBERTY 

Incumbent Audrey B. Martin defeated challenger Derek Johnson for the mayoral seat in Liberty. Martin earned 78 votes to Johnson’s 65. 

Newcomers Natasha Figgins, Connie Martin, George McGraw, and Justine Sandoval will join incumbent Kendra Stanford to take the five seats open on the Liberty Board of Mayor and Aldermen after defeating Michael Bain. McGraw, Stanford, and Bain all ran as write-in candidates.  

Figgins received 59 votes, Martin 56 votes, McGraw and Stanford 52, Sandoval 47, and Bain 29 votes. 

Incumbents J.D. Bratten, Ryan Dodd, Kevin Mullinax, and Howard Reynolds Jr. did not seek re-election.  

LINDEN 

Four incumbents ran unopposed in races in Linden. In the mayoral race, Wess Ward received 154 complimentary votes.  

In the Ward 1 race, Bart Rosson received 146 complimentary votes. Patrick Denton received 143 complimentary votes in the Ward 2 race, and in the Ward 3 race, Dean Heady received 145 complimentary votes.  

LOBELVILLE 

Incumbent Robby J. Moore ran unopposed and was re-elected Lobelville mayor with 161 votes. Incumbent Alderman Josh Warren will be joined by newcomer Cody Warren after they ran unopposed for the two vacant alderman seats. C. Warren received 153 complimentary votes while J. Warren received 132.  

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN 

Incumbents Jim Bentley and Karen Leavengood will be joined by newcomers Lindsey Parks, Jake Tallent, and John Charles Tugman Jr. on the Lookout Mountain Commission, defeating incumbent William Valadez for the five open seats.  

Leavengood led the vote count with 476 followed by Bentley and Tugman with 453 each, Parks with 451, Tallent with 370, and Valadez with 309.  

LYNNVILLE 

Incumbent William Morse will be joined by newcomer Angela Kimble and Brett Haynes on the Lynnville Board of Mayor and Alderman. Kimble led the vote count with 60 votes followed by Morse with 55 and Haynes with 50.  

MANCHESTER 

Incumbents Thomas Crosslin and Donny D. Parsley will be joined by newcomer Paul Thornton after fending off challengers Dana Douglas, Harold Jones, Ben Laine, Holly McLaren, Jeff Perry, and Kevin Smith for the three open seats on the council. Incumbent Mark Messick did not seek re-election.  

Parsley led the vote count with 651 votes followed by Thornton with 632, Crosslin with 602, Douglas with 517, Perry with 415, McLaren 407, Jones with 359, Smith with 210, and Laine with 200.  

MICHIE 

Incumbent Jay Poindexter ran unopposed and received 88 complimentary votes in the Michie mayoral race.  

Incumbents David Lynn Baker and Michael H. Campbell ran unopposed and were re-elected to the two open alderman seats. Baker received 86 complimentary votes while Campbell earned 78.  

Incumbent Dennis Wicker also defeated challenger David James Buhle for the unexpired alderman seat. Wicker earned 62 votes to Buhle’s 32.  

MINOR HILL 

Incumbent Tracy Wilburn ran unopposed and received 76 complimentary votes in the mayoral race for Minor Hill.  

Incumbents Brandon Beard and Paul Stafford also ran unopposed for the two open aldermen seats, receiving 70 and 75 votes respectively. No candidate qualified for the unexpired alderman term.  

MONTEREY 

Newcomer Chris Landers ran unopposed and was elected with 232 complimentary votes for the Monterey mayoral seat previously held by Alex Garcia. 

Three candidates also ran unopposed for three alderman seats. Incumbent Spencer Delk received 215 complimentary votes in the Ward 1 race. Newcomer Brian Q. Williams secured 237 complimentary votes in the Ward 2 race. Incumbent James Wolfgram received 211 complimentary votes in the Ward 3 race. 

No candidate qualified in the Ward 4 race.  

MOSHEIM 

Incumbents Marc A. Campbell and Matthew D. Solomon ran unopposed for the two open alderman seats in Mosheim. Both received 155 complimentary votes.  

MURFREESBORO 

Incumbent Shane McFarland defeated challenger Nathan Bennett to retain the mayoral seat. McFarland earned 10,421 votes to Bennett’s 6,027.  

Incumbents Jami Averwater, Madelyn Scales Harris, and Austin Maxwell fended off challengers Jacon Morphis and Jeffrey Wooden for the three open city council seats. Harris led the vote count with 8,721 followed by Averwater with 8,126, Maxwell with 7,381, Wooden with 4,577, and Morphis with 3,217.  

NEW JOHNSONVILLE 

Incumbent Charles Larry Bradford will be joined by Jason Finch and Jonathan Story after defeating incumbent Cody Keslinger and Johnny W. Turner for the three open council seats in New Johnsonville.  

Bradford led the vote count with 252, Finch with 175, Story with 168, Turner 164, and Keslinger 150.  

OAKDALE 

Incumbent Oakdale mayor Buddy F. Miller ran unopposed and was re-elected. No candidates qualified for the at-large alderman seat races.  

OLIVER SPRINGS 

No candidate qualified for the court clerk/finance officer position in Oliver Springs.  

PEGRAM 

Newcomers Sherri Martin and Landon Lyon fended off fellow challengers Christopher J. Crump, Randy Fielder, and Cody Howard for the two open seats on the Pegram Board of Mayor and Aldermen.  

Martin led the vote count with 305, followed by Lyon with 168, Fielder with 110, Crump with 86, and Howard with 82.  

PETERSBURG 

No candidates qualified for the two open alderman seats in Petersburg.  

PLAINVIEW 

Incumbents Austin Collins and Richard D. Phillips ran unopposed and were re-elected to the two open alderman seats in Plainview.  

RED BANK 

Interim Red Bank City Judge Bryan Hoss defeated challengers Meredith Mochel and Emily O’Donnell to take the open municipal judge seat. Hoss earned 1,131 votes followed by O’Donell with 951, and Mochel with 373.  

Hoss had been appointed to fill the term of Judge Johnny Houston, who resigned for medical reasons.  

RIPLEY 

Incumbent Tracey Brewer-Walker ran unopposed and was elected to the unexpired municipal judge term in Ripley with 1,303 votes.  

RIVES 

No candidates qualified for either the mayoral race or the three open alderman seats in Rives.  

However, Lynn Elam received 13 write-in votes in the mayoral race. In the alderman race, Sherri Elam received 13 write-in votes while incumbent Sherry Jenkins Davis received 4 write-in votes.  

SARDIS 

Incumbent Jason Craig ran unopposed and received 81 complimentary votes in the Sardis mayoral race.  

Incumbents Debra Brown, Richard Holland, Jerald Hopper, and Brad Smith will be joined by newcomer Lisa Creasy Wilson on the Sardis Board of Mayor and Aldermen, defeating incumbent Larry Smith and newcomer Barry Bartholomew.  

Holland led the vote count with 77 followed by B. Smith with 70, Brown with 69, Hopper with 57, Wilson with 50, L. Smith with 38, and Bartholomew with 33.  

SCOTTS HILL 

Incumbent Wood Capley defeated challengers Steven L. Dickson and Richie Stanfill to win the mayoral race in Scotts Hill. Capley earned 134 votes followed by Stanfill with 75, and Dickson with 22.  

Incumbents Jeremy Creason, Tiffany McCormick, and Monty L. Ray will be joined by newcomers Lauren Mooney Bailey, Harold Britt, Adam Dunavant, and Buddy Robertson after defeating challengers Jeremy Bartholomew, Peyton L. Parrish, and Myles Sifford for the seven open alderman seats in Scotts Hill.  

Creason led the vote count with 153 followed by Britt with 151, Dunavant with 150, McCormick 144, Ray 139, Bailey 134, Robertson 117, Bartholomew 100, Parrish 76, and Sifford 64.  

Incumbents Bonnie Butler, Mary Connell, Steve Dickson, and Jerry Tucker did not seek re-election.  

SMITHVILLE 

Alderwoman Beth Chandler defeated challenger Jeff Cawthorn to take the Smithville mayoral seat previously held by Josh Miller. Chandler eared 613 votes to Cawthorn’s 345.  

Newcomers Todd Cantrell and Meshai Johnson unseated incumbent Don Crook for the two open alderman seats. Johnson earned 561 votes, Cantrell 455, and Crook 400.  

SMYRNA 

Incumbent Lisa J. Brewer ran unopposed and received 4,291 complimentary votes for Smyrna municipal court clerk.  

SOUTH CARTHAGE 

Incumbent Joey Nixon ran unopposed and was re-elected mayor of South Carthage with 162 votes.  

Two incumbent aldermen also ran unopposed and retained their seats. Bobby Law received 61 complimentary votes in the Ward 1 race while Sam Murley received 88 complimentary votes in the Ward 2 race.  

SPARTA 

Incumbent Jerry Lowery ran unopposed and retained the mayoral seat in Sparta with 836 complimentary votes. 

Incumbents Jim Floyd, Travis McBride, and Robert Officer also ran unopposed for the three open at-large alderman seats. Floyd received 639 votes, McBride 608, and Officer 598.  

SPRING CITY 

Newcomers Robert Harvey and Jeanna Sherill fended off challenge from Howard Gilliam and Karen Murray to take the two open seats on the Spring City Commission. Harvey led the vote tally with 213 followed by Sherrill with 182, Gilliam with 120, and Murray with 96.  

TENNESSEE RIDGE 

Only two candidates qualified for the seven open seats on the Tennessee Ridge City Commission. Incumbents Kenneth Dunavant and David Wood received 321 and 225 votes respectively.  

TOWNSEND 

Incumbent Rindi Martin will be joined by newcomers Harry McIntosh and Donald Prater, defeating challengers Christina Delaney and John Hurtle for the three open commission seats in Townsend.  

Prater led the vote count with 145 followed by McIntosh with 140, Martin with 131, Delaney with 100, and Hurtle with 89.  

TRENTON 

Incumbent Wilma Champion ran unopposed and was re-elected Trenton court clerk with 502 votes.  

TULLAHOMA 

Newcomers swept in Tullahoma with   Daniel Berry, Donna Bradford, and Mike Dent defeating incumbent Bobbie S. Wilson and challengers Brandon Champion and Jackie Harding for the three open seats.  

Dent led the vote tally with 1,531 followed by Bradford at 1,322, Berry at 1,072, Wilson at 1,035, Champion with 699, and Harding 651.  

Incumbent James F. Conley ran unopposed and was re-elected municipal judge.  

WARTBURG 

Incumbent Phil Vespie ran unopposed and was re-elected Wartburg mayor while James W. Laughter ran unopposed and was re-elected to the at-large alderman seat.  

WAYNESBORO 

Incumbents Chris Bevis, Tony L. Creasy, and Jeff Howell ran unopposed and were re-elected to the Waynesboro City Commission. Howell led the count with 217 votes, Bevis received 209 votes, and Creasy 201.  

WHITE BLUFF 

Incumbent Andrew Renfroe ran unopposed and was re-elected to the unexpired municipal judge seat in White Bluff with 419 complimentary votes.  

WHITEVILLE 

Incumbent Jessie Giles will be joined by newcomers Aubrey Phillips and Robert Stitts after ousting incumbent Phil Forbes for the three open alderman seats in Whiteville.  

Giles led the tally with 165 votes followed by Phillips with 131, Stitts with 91, and Forbes with 89.