2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections

2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections will be held on August 6, 2026, to determine the mayor of many counties in the state, including several of the most populous — Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Montgomery, and Williamson County.[1] Local county primary elections will be held on May 5, 2026.[2][a] The general elections for county mayor will be held concurrently with primary elections for various state offices, including the gubernatorial and senatorial primaries.[3]

Shelby County

2026 Shelby County mayoral election
August 6, 2026
Mayor before election

Lee Harris
Democratic

Elected mayor

TBD

The 2026 Shelby County mayoral election will be held to determine the mayor of Shelby County, Tennessee. Incumbent Democratic mayor Lee Harris, first elected in 2018, will be term limited and can not seek a third term.[4][5]

Democratic primary

Declared

  • Mickell Lowery, Shelby County Commissioner (District 8)[6]
  • JB Smiley Jr., Memphis City Council member[7]
  • Heidi Kuhn, Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk[8]
  • Harold Collins, Shelby County Chief Administrative Officer[9]
  • Marie Feagins, former school superintendent[10]
  • Melvin Burgess, Shelby County Property Tax Assessor[9]
  • Rusty Qualls[11]

Suspended campaign

  • JW Gibson, Businessman[12]

Knox County

2026 Knox County mayoral election
August 6, 2026
Mayor before election

Glenn Jacobs
Republican

Elected mayor

TBD

The 2026 Knox County mayoral election will be held to determine the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. Incumbent Republican mayor Glenn Jacobs, first elected in 2018, will be term limited and can not seek a third term.[13][14][15]

Republican primary

Declared

  • Kim Frazier, Knox County Commissioner[16]
  • Betsy Henderson, Knox County School Board member[17]
  • Larsen Jay, Knox County Commissioner[14]

Hamilton County

2026 Hamilton County mayoral election
August 6, 2026
Mayor before election

Weston Wamp
Republican

Elected mayor

TBD

The 2026 Hamilton County mayoral election will be held to determine the mayor of Hamilton County, Tennessee. Incumbent Republican mayor Weston Wamp, first elected in 2022, is running for re-election.[18]

Republican primary

Declared

Endorsements

Weston Wamp
Statewide officials

Rutherford County

2026 Rutherford County mayoral election
August 6, 2026
Mayor before election

Joe Carr
Republican

Elected mayor

TBD

The 2026 Rutherford County mayoral election will be held to determine the mayor of Rutherford County, Tennessee. Incumbent Republican mayor Joe Carr, first elected in 2022, is running for re-election.[21]

Republican primary

Declared

Montgomery County

2026 Montgomery County mayoral election
August 6, 2026
Mayor before election

Wes Golden
Republican

Elected mayor

TBD

The 2026 Montgomery County mayoral election will be held to determine the mayor of Montgomery County, Tennessee. Incumbent Republican mayor Wes Golden, first elected in 2022, can run for re-election.[24]

Republican primary

Declared

  • Wes Golden, incumbent mayor[25]

Williamson County

2026 Williamson County mayoral election
August 6, 2026
Mayor before election

Rogers C. Anderson
Republican

Elected mayor

TBD

The 2026 Williamson County mayoral election will be held to determine the mayor of Williamson County, Tennessee. Incumbent Republican mayor Rogers C. Anderson, first elected in 2002, is not running for re-election.[26]

Republican primary

Declared

  • Mary Smith, county commissioner[27]
  • Andy Marshall, restaurant owner[28]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Madison County is used as an example for the source, but all counties follow the same dates.
  1. ^ "Tennessee Counties by Population (2025)". www.tennessee-demographics.com. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  2. ^ "Election Cycles | Madison County, TN - Official Website". www.madisoncountytn.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  3. ^ "Tennessee elections, 2026". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  4. ^ "Informed Voter – Shelby County Mayor". Memphis Public Libraries. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  5. ^ Muckerman, Brooke. "Here is who is running for Shelby County mayor in 2026 | The Week in Politics". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  6. ^ Coleman, James (2025-03-27). "Commissioner Mickell Lowery joins race for Shelby County mayor". TSDMemphis.com. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  7. ^ "They're Off!". MemphisFlyer. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  8. ^ "Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn announces run for Shelby County mayor". localmemphis.com. 2025-06-11. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  9. ^ a b Coleman, James (2025-03-27). "Commissioner Mickell Lowery joins race for Shelby County mayor". TSDMemphis.com. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  10. ^ Montgomery, Garner (2025-12-20). "Shelby County election season kicks off Monday as mayoral candidates pick up petitions".
  11. ^ Montgomery, Garner (2025-12-20). "Shelby County election season kicks off Monday as mayoral candidates pick up petitions".
  12. ^ Montgomery, Garner (2025-12-20). "Shelby County election season kicks off Monday as mayoral candidates pick up petitions".
  13. ^ "Qualifications and Title-County Mayor | UT County Technical Assistance Service". www.ctas.tennessee.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  14. ^ a b Feinberg, Allie. "Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay is running to succeed Mayor Glenn Jacobs". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  15. ^ "Mayoral candidates build war chests for election next summer". wbir.com. 2025-07-22. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  16. ^ Feinberg, Allie. "Knox County Commissioner Kim Frazier running for Knox County mayor". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  17. ^ Feinberg, Allie. "Knox County school board chair Betsy Henderson is running for Knox County mayor in 2026". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  18. ^ Sims, Madison (2025-09-02). "Hamilton Co. Mayor Weston Wamp announces re-election bid, gaining support from Sen. Marsha Blackburn". Local3News.com. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  19. ^ Hill, Nick (2025-09-02). "Mayor Wamp launches re-election bid alongside Blackburn, other Tennessee Republicans". WDEF. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  20. ^ Sims, Madison (2025-09-02). "Hamilton Co. Mayor Weston Wamp announces re-election bid, gaining support from Sen. Marsha Blackburn". Local3News.com. Retrieved 2025-09-23.
  21. ^ Broden, Scott. "Joe Carr wins Rutherford County mayor election over runner up Randy Allen". The Daily News Journal. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  22. ^ Broden, Scott. "Rutherford Co. Mayor Joe Carr seeks reelection in 2026 election: 'I would appreciate your vote'". The Daily News Journal. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  23. ^ "Harris Enters Rutherford County Mayor's Race, Vows Visionary Leadership and Fiscal Discipline". www.wgnsradio.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  24. ^ Williams, Casey (2022-05-04). "Election results: Wes Golden wins Montgomery County mayor's Republican primary - ClarksvilleNow.com". Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  25. ^ Smith, Chris (2025-11-28). "What's on ballot in 2026: County mayor, sheriff, judges, commission and more - ClarksvilleNow.com". Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  26. ^ Masters, Hamilton Matthew (2025-08-01). "Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson Not Seeking Reelection in 2026". Williamson Scene. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  27. ^ Masters, Hamilton Matthew (2025-10-22). "Commissioner Mary Smith Launches Bid for County Mayor". Williamson Scene. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  28. ^ Sauter, Danica (2025-10-27). "Owner of Puckett's restaurants to run for Williamson County mayor". Retrieved 2025-12-22.
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