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Wlaf1450The march to victory in 2026 for a Campbell County office began on Monday
JACKSBORO, TN. (WLAF)- Joe Coker, Ann Ayers-Colvin and Randy Heatherly declared on Monday that they will run in the Republican Primary in May while Johnny Jones, Johnny “Coach” Bruce, Beverly Stanfield Hall, Zachary Marlow, Pauline Walden Roberts and Ferlin “Clay” Morgan all picked up to run as an Independent in August.
Coker will run for county attorney, Ayers-Colvin seeks the county mayor post and Heatherly eyes the third district school board seat. Elsewhere, Jones for 3rd district constable, Bruce for 4th district county commission, Hall for 2nd district county commission, Marlow for 1st district county commission, Roberts for 5th district county commission and Morgan for 5th district school board requested petitions.
Bruce, Coker, Hall, Heatherly, Jones and Marlow are incumbents.
Earlier this year the political parties of Campbell County asked for a primary election. Monday was the first day candidates seeking a local seat in Campbell County can begin picking up petitions whether they are running in the primary as a Democrat or a Republican or in the general election as an Independent.
The county primary election will be held May 5 with the general election slated for Aug. 6, and the time frame to pick for either election runs from Dec. 22 through Feb. 19, at noon. Qualifying deadline is Thu., Feb. 19, at noon (2026).
This will be the first primary in Campbell County since March 1996.
The call for a primary was set in motion in a letter sent to the election commission by the Democratic Party of Campbell County.
“People think there is no competition out there,” said Chairman of the Democrat Party Joann Vaughn. The Democrats have been attending community events and Vaughn said the reception has been “great.”
A letter was also sent by the Republican Party calling for a county primary election.
“Party affiliation and adhering to its values should start at the local level,” said Aaron Evans, Chairman of the Republican Party.
Candidates can opt to run as an Independent but would forfeit any support that could come with a party affiliation, both Evans and Vaughn said.
“All of the work that is put into an August election will be put into the May election,” Mallory Rosenfeld, Administrator of Elections, said.
The following county position term limits are up for election in 2026:
- County Mayor
- County Clerk
- County Commission, three (3) per district, there are five (5) districts
- County Attorney Circuit Court Clerk
- County Trustee
- Register of Deeds
- Sheriff
- School Board Member, one (1) per district, there are five (5) districts
- Constable, one (1) per district, there are five (5) districts
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 12/23/2025-6AM- IMAGE COURTESY UNSPLASH.COM)