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For more information on how the County Primaries work and what County Commissioners do, see Williamson County Primaries.
Tennessee has nonpartisan voter registration. There is no option to affiliate with a political party on the voter registration form. Voters do not declare affiliation with a party in order to vote in primary elections, but they must choose one party’s ballot, i.e., you may choose either the Republican or Democratic ballot for the County Primaries. If you choose a Republican ballot, you will see the following options:
County Mayor (vote for one)
Trustee (vote for one)
Incumbent Karen Paris
Sheriff (vote for one)
**Incumbent Jeff Long (www.facebook.com/jefflongforsheriff/)
Circuit Court Clerk (vote for one)
Incumbent Debbie McMillan Barrett
Juvenile Court Clerk (vote for one)
**Incumbent Brenda F. Hyden (www.facebook.com/BrendaHydenJuvenileCourtClerk/)
Bobby Plummer (www.facebook.com/Bobby-Plummer-for-Juvenile-Court-Clerk-412200139201996/)
County Clerk (vote for one)
Register of Deeds (vote for one)
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
** Endorsed by Williamson Business PAC
County Commission (vote for two)
Search for your County Commission District here. Your ballot will include ONLY your district, i.e., if you live in District 9, you will see four candidates on the Republican ballot. You will vote for two. The top two Republicans and the top two Democrats in each district from the county primaries will advance to the August general election. District 6 will add an Independent candidate at that time. The top two from each of the twelve districts will win seats on the commission.
View: All District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9 District 10 District 11 District 12
District 1 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Dwight “Bubba” Jones (www.facebook.com/Districtonecountycommissioner/)
Voted against Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“The biggest challenge will continue to be school growth. We need to continue to stress to the state we need adequate funding.” – March 2018
**Incumbent Ricky D. Jones (www.facebook.com/rdjones1972/)
Teacher at Fairview High School
Voted against Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“Maintain the quality of our schools and work with our state representatives to see if Williamson County can get more funding for much needed road construction and capital projects for our schools.” – March 2018
District 2 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Judy Lynch Herbert
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“The biggest challenge is funding the schools and all of the other county services. There is no easy solution to this challenge. We have to work year to year to avoid continually raising property taxes by cutting any unnecessary spending and finding new sources of revenue such as the new school impact fee that we passed this year.” – March 2018
**Incumbent Betsy Hester (www.facebook.com/Betsy-Hester-for-County-Commissioner-634540486599313/)
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“We have about 1,200 additional students in our district enrollment. To accommodate them, we must place a great deal of importance on education. We are in a global economy and for our local students to complete globally, we must allow them our best efforts in education.” – March 2018
District 3 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Former Spring Hill Alderman Keith Hudson
“I support adequate funding for Williamson County Schools, to ensure that we remain one of the best systems in the country. In order to maintain this level of excellence, we must seek innovative solutions for continuous funding that will not be a burden to the taxpayer.” – March 2018
**Incumbent Jennifer Moore Mason (www.facebook.com/masoncountycommissioner/)
Husband Assistant Communications Director at WCS
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
“I will focus on striking a balance between our growing needs for new schools, school improvements, law enforcement and juvenile justice needs with the county’s ability to fund those needed services.” – March 2018
***Incumbent David Pair
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“The Commission should continue working with state legislators to increase the County’s share of state BEP funding for schools and building a better working relationship with the WCS Board.” – March 2018
District 4 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Gregg Lawrence (www.facebook.com/gregglawrencewcc/)
Voted against the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted against Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted against Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted against Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Ensuring that our schools needs are funded. Around 3/4 of the county budget is allocated to our school system. With the local option sales tax now passed, this helps with ongoing capital project costs. We need to resolve the issue of the lawsuit brought by homebuilders challenging impact fees passed last year, which also pays toward projected capital costs. Builders are marketing and selling homes based on our schools and location, which are adding to the growth issues we are experiencing. We need to work with developers, our school board, our city Aldermen and county commission to base additional residential development on current/projected school capacity and infrastructure needs.” – March 2018
District 5 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Tommy Little
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“Schools are always a top priority, along with public safety (emergency management/law enforcement) and traffic. Our budget is the biggest challenge. Capital projects, new schools, courtrooms, juvenile services and roads are all putting pressure on our budget. The recently enacted education impact fees and sales tax are a start, and I want to continue to work with the county mayor and the commission on finding solutions.” – April 2018
**Incumbent Beth Lothers
” We don’t solve growth. We solve problems associated with growth. The sales tax referendum was reflective of county residents’ commitment to quality schools.” – April 2018
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
“I want to look into even more different ways that we can solve our educational growth issues, such as working with FSSD to expand to include high schools and working with Brentwood on its own separate district. I also want to figure out how we can get more private schools in the county; for every kid we have in a private school or homeschooled, we can pay for 1-2 kids in public school.” – April 2018
If elected, he said his priorities would include ensuring that Williamson County students continue to receive a quality education, but stressed that he is opposed to any type of tax increase. “I want to ensure that there are absolutely no tax increases and push the idea that growth pays for growth.” – January 2018
“I think we need to look into any kind of alternative means of funding, rather than relying on (property) tax increases. There’s got to be other ways of providing that funding,” Verell said. “I believe that there are organizations that provide voluntary funding to school systems.” – October 2017
District 6 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
“Keeping a superior school system. Getting new development to pay for its impact on schools.” – March 2018
Husband SRO at Lipscomb Elementary
Two children in WCS
“My husband and I were both blessed with a Williamson County Schools public education. Our children are WCS students. We are actively involved in our kids’ schools and we see the wonderful job our teachers and administrators do each day. It is my top priority to provide the funding necessary to allow our schools to maintain their history of excellence. As a mom, I don’t want our kids in over-crowded schools and classrooms. As a fiscal conservative, I don’t want my taxes skyrocketing to pay for all of this growth.” – March 2018
**Incumbent Paul L. Webb (www.facebook.com/votepaulwebb/)
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“With my financial and management background I will work on the issues of growth in our county and how we manage it with our public schools being the main priority.” – March 2018
“I encourage cities to contribute to transportation and infrastructure needs of the school district. Cities have the obligation to help with infrastructure. Schools contribute to the community’s livability. Schools drive property values up and in turn increase property tax values and eventually revenue in cities.” – January 2016
“Maybe we don’t need all the bells and whistles now. Maybe we can add those on. Maybe we can do like people used to do and we build the building and we let the parents or the band boosters contribute. That’s what we did when I grew up. Maybe we can do that again. Heck, we did that with my kids at the Brentwood Civitan.” – October 2016
“Webb stressed the importance of education in Williamson County, and even said that he would pay a higher property tax if it helped the school district maintain its quality education. ‘We have to [find a way to] raise revenue. A long time ago, we decided to make education a priority and become leader in Tennessee.’ He emphasized that businesses and families move to Williamson County for education.” – March 2017
“We have a revenue shortage, but everyone comes here because Williamson has a great product. You can raise the fees to have it. But when you skimp on it, that’s when the product fails. I feel confident we are going to find it.” – April 2017
“We have to pay for it, and we have to have 13 votes [out of 24 County Commissioners]. And we can’t snap our fingers and do it. There’s a process. I am going to support the schools. My granddaughters are coming through. I am going to support it when we figure out the funding. We can’t just say go build it and bankrupt the county. We have to figure out how to do it, and we can’t change the property tax rate in the middle of the year.” – April 2017
District 7 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Bert Chalfant
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
” I have served on the Commission Education Committee several times and strongly support our school system. I worked to expand Brentwood High School, especially the new Performing Arts Center and new artificial turf for the stadium for football and soccer, and the parking expansion and access are almost completed. I worked with former Commissioner Tom Bain to fund the current $18 million expansion for Brentwood High School and Brentwood Middle School to include the new “Stem” (science and math building which is under construction).” – April 2018
Former County Commission candidate Hugh Dupree
2016 School Board candidate Jennifer Luteran (www.facebook.com/voteluteran/)
Three children in WCS
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
“I believe that growth has got to start paying for itself and that everyone has to pay their fair share. However, the cost of this growth should not be put entirely on the back of the taxpayers. Our business community can do a lot more to help pay for some of the costs associated with our schools. The business community brings a lot of families to Williamson County while using the quality of our school system to aid in their recruiting. It is time these same businesses do more to offset some of the costs associated with building and operating the schools. I promise to look at all other means of revenue before voting for any type of tax increase. This includes, but is not limited to, raising the yearly price of the rec centers and bidding out our county services on a routine basis and performing a feasibility study on some of our county assets.” – April 2018
2016 School Board candidate Christopher Richards (www.facebook.com/VoteCRichards/)
Three children in WCS
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Two children in WCS
“Properly funding education. I met with local leaders from Charles Sargent to local tax payers, and we met for several hours to discuss funding options. The best choice was the sales tax referendum that passed overwhelmingly this winter. We discussed several ways to raise funds and several cuts, we even discussed funding 10 years of growth. We left no stone unturned, in my opinion. I don’t believe anyone has the perfect solution for properly funding schools currently. I am working on it daily. ” – April 2018
District 8 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
“Assist in the county’s efforts to encourage state legislators to pass a bill that will modify the outdated Basic Education Program (BEP) and help increase school funding without raising property taxes. Finding alternative funding is key to our county residents. Look at ways to impede high-density housing and apartment development. Unprecedented growth is outpacing the number of schools available and the county currently does not have the revenue to build new schools. An increase in property taxes could displace the county’s longtime residents, many of whom may be retired, are not in a position to pay such an increase. While key priorities will be focusing on the immediate challenges it’s important to concentrate on educational development efforts to ensure continued competitiveness at every grade level. People move here because of our top-rated school system. However, raising property taxes should be our last option and not our first option. State school funding per student should be fair and available for counties with sudden growth as we’ve seen in Williamson County. One method that I support that will help this challenge is to assist in the county’s efforts by encouraging state legislators to pass a bill that will modify the outdated Basic Education Program (BEP). This is one of the largest challenges that we currently face. It’s important that we unite together to work with the state to see this through. We all want to find alternative funding and this is a good start that will help increase school funding in all districts.” – April 2018
” I don’t believe in purchasing bonds. It’s never smart to plan for growth if it involves creating debt. While some debt is unavoidable, legislative bodies should at all cost avoid debt.” – April 2018
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
**Incumbent Barb Sturgeon (www.facebook.com/votesturgeon/)
Took a gun into a school-owned property during a WCSB meeting and was arrested in November 2014, later sued Williamson County Schools
Children attend private Catholic school in Nashville
Voted against the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted against Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted against Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted against Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
Voted against Eric Welch for interim D10 WCSB, September 2017
“One more child per class is not a big price to pay. Maybe we could avoid building a school for a year.” – April 2015
“We must continue to investigate alternative sources of funding.” – April 2018
” Williamson County is supporting the education of a high percentage of special needs children. Our excellent reputation in providing for special needs has drawn a large number of families with special needs children to live here for these services. Where the operating cost per student is about $9000/yr a special needs child can be 10 times this amount. The BEP formula does not recognize this fact nor take any measures in funding these needs.” – April 2018
District 9 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
Incumbent Todd Kaestner (www.facebook.com/ToddKaestnerCountyCommissioner/)
Voted against the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates
Children attended private Brentwood Academy
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted against Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted against Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted against Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“I think it is way too much of an increase. There are maybe three people on this commission who looked at the numbers in any kind of detail. We are giving wage increases of 4, 5 percent which is more than you see in the private sector. People use as an argument they love our employees, well, so do I but 5 percent last year and 4 percent last year is a 9 percent increase in the time I think private sector wages went up 1.5 or 2 percent.” – July 2016
“Also we need to look at the school department. And what is the cost per kid, and nobody does that. We kicked the can down the road. But 18 percent? That is probably the biggest tax increase in the history of the county.” – july 2016
**Chas Morton (www.facebook.com/chasmortonforcountycommissioner/)
Two children in WCS
Morton said he’s interested in securing education funding and responsibly managing the county’s growth. Morton said the county needs to try to find new sources of funding to cover school capital needs as student enrollment increases. “With kids that are in public schools, I’ve got a direct stake in the future of our schools. I want to make sure our kids get the absolute best education that they can.” – March 2018
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
“The county commission’s simply raising property taxes and taking on more debt in response to each year’s accelerating budget growth is not a very strategic solution and not fair to our long term property owners. We need leaders who are committed to exploring alternative revenue sources and working closely with the TN General Assembly and our five city governments to encourage more manageable growth and our fair share of state and federal revenue.” – December 2017
**Former District 10 Commissioner Matt Williams (www.facebook.com/electmattwilliams/)
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted against Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
“I have a bunch of angry parents who have been waiting and waiting and waiting… this is what, the third time this has come up at least? We need to make sure this gets taken care of. I’m not afraid to say we intend to fund this [even] knowing our worst-case scenario [of a property tax increase]. We’re still going to do it. I have no problem going back to my constituents and saying, ‘Your property tax is going up.’ I can count on one hand how many people have come up and said I’m paying too much in property taxes.” – August 2017 re: Franklin High funding
District 10 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Robbie Beal (www.facebook.com/RobbieBealforCountyCommission/)
One son in WCS
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
“It’s just as important to maintain our existing schools as it is to build new ones.” – April 2018
Voted to renovate older facilities
Approved additional funding to update sporting facilities and expand computer technology labs
**Incumbent David Landrum (www.facebook.com/DavidLandrumforCommissioner/)
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
McBride said he’s running to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars and that he’s opposed to tax increases.” – February 2018
District 11 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
WCS graduate
Wife an educator in WCS
**Incumbent Brian Beathard (www.facebook.com/ElectBrianBeathard/)
One daughter in WCS, one son in FSSD
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
Incumbent Brandon D. Ryan (www.facebook.com/commissionerbrandonryan/)
Voted against the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Thinks County Commissioners SHOULD have line item veto power over the WCS budget
School-age hildren attend private Catholic schools in Nashville
Voted against Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted against Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted against Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
Voted against Eric Welch for interim D10 WCSB, September 2017
“Right now it is absolutely imperative that we maintain as many conservatives on the board as possible.” Ryan said he was concerned with the county’s debt and school funding. “There’s a lot of wants that are presented to the county. We have to do a better job distinguishing between wants and needs. We’ve got to scrutinize the requests that come across our table.” He also said he doesn’t want the county’s property tax to increase. – March 2018
“I would like to see the schools begin working with the Commission in more of a partnership rather than the current adversarial role.” – April 2018
“First and foremost, we have to get schools in line regarding their spending. In addition to their capital requests, every day operating costs continue to skyrocket. Secondly, we need to hand over any services to the private sector that be better addressed by businesses (gyms, healthcare, etc.)” – April 2018
District 12 (WAKM-Williamson Herald Meet the Candidates video)
**Incumbent Dana Ausbrooks (www.facebook.com/dmausbrooks/)
Attorney for Williamson County Schools
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
Garrett said he wants to cut waste from the county budget, fund schools and improve roads and infrastructure and said he would not vote for tax increases. – March 2018
**Incumbent Steve Smith (www.facebook.com/CommissionerSteveSmith/)
Voted for the property tax change and the county budget, July 2016
Thinks County Commissioners should NOT have line item veto power over the WCS budget
Voted for Anne McGraw for interim D4 WCSB, September 2015
Voted for Nancy Garrett for interim D12 WCSB, November 2016
Voted for Bobby Hullett for interim D7 CC, February 2017
Received campaign contributions from donors who funded the 2016 slate of Tea Party/912-endorsed WCSB candidates and former WCSB members Susan Curlee and Beth Burgos in 2014
** Endorsed by Williamson Business PAC
Candidate profile links from here.
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