SO, YOU WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE?Welcome and thank you for stepping up. Running for office is both professionally and personally rewarding and is a tremendous gift to your community. Take the first step by being informed with our guide to what is involved in running for public office from local to national positions. We also tell you real-life information about each of the positions (salary, term length, requirements) to help you make your decision.
Running for Office FAQs
Although it can vary depending on what position you are running for, generally you will need to be able to commit to one full weekend day and one week night per week for canvassing plus several hours for “call time” weekly, one hour for meeting with your team and other time as needed.
Building your campaign: 1-2 months
Mid campaign (run events, attend community events, start canvassing): 2-3 months
Full speed campaign (canvassing, send printed materials): 1-2 months
The short answer is yes, unless you want to do it all yourself (which we don’t recommend). Montgomery County Democratic Party can assist you by recruiting volunteers to help you canvass or run an event, but you will need to look within your own network or recruit people in the following positions to run a smooth campaign:
- Treasurer (handles financial records and reporting)
- Fundraising Manager (coordinates your fundraising calls, events, emails, texts etc)
- Field Manager (runs your field campaign which includes canvassing voters)
Yes! Your life is your experience! If you are progressive and want to help your community, we want to help you succeed in running for office.
Plus, look at the current people in some of the highest offices in the land! Many of them lack experience, and they didn’t let that prevent them from accepting important government jobs. If you are willing to put in the work and learn, we will train you and connect you with the right people to run a successful campaign.
If you get set up with a good fundraising strategy from day one, you may not have to use any of your own financial resources to run your campaign. This is why we recommend hiring a Fundraising Manager as soon as possible to help you bring in donations to cover the cost of:
- Paying team member salaries
- Event expenses
- Advertising
- Office expenses
Candidates have run “shoe string budget” campaigns and come out ahead of very well financed opponents. It all depends how you use what you have.
You won’t get paid during your campaign (so you will need to factor that into your budget), but when you’re elected, you will receive a salary and, in some cases, expenses. See below for more information.
Candidate Interest Form
If you’re ready to take the next step, please provide the following information. Someone from our Political Affairs team will reach out to you shortly with details on our Candidate Training Academy.
Montgomery County, TN Positions Up for Election in 2026
A US Senator’s primary duty is to represent the state of Tennessee in the legislative branch of the federal government. They serve as a voice for their constituents by crafting and voting on federal laws. Senators also play a crucial role in the executive branch, offering advice and consent on presidential appointments and treaty ratification.
- US Senator annual salary: $174,000
- Term: 6 years
- Qualifications: must be at least 30 years old, a US citizen for nine years and be a resident in the state they represent at the time of the election.
The position is currently held by Bill Haggerty (Republican). He has a BA in economics and business administration from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt Law School. His prior career was as a “businessman” in private equity. He served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development before being nominated by President Trump to serve as the Ambassador to Japan. He resigned that position in 2019 in order to run for the open senate seat.
U.S. Representatives, also known as Congressmen or Congresswomen, represent specific congressional districts in the House of Representatives. Their primary duties include creating, debating, and voting on legislation, which can either make new laws or modify existing ones. Representatives also serve on committees, introduce bills and resolutions, and offer amendments.
- Salary: $174,000 annually.
- Term 4 years.
- Qualifications: must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state you wish to represent.
The US Representative most recently covering Montgomery County (Congressional district 7) is Mark Green (Republican). He served in the US Army and his professional qualifications include a bachelor’s in quantitative business management from West Point. He was formerly the president of Emergency Services Network and CEO of Align MD Foundation. He served a term as the Tennessee Senator for district 22 before running for congress in 2019. He stepped down from his congressional seat in July of 2025.
The Governor of Tennessee is the head of state government. They command the state’s military forces, make various appointments including judicial ones, chair the Tennessee Board of Regents, and The University of Tennessee Board of Regents as well as holding seats on various boards. Governors have the power to veto laws passed by the general assembly and they may use line item veto on individual spending items included in bills passed by legislature. They may also call a special session of the General Assembly as long as the particulars are included in the proclamation for the special session.
- Salary:$204,336
- Term: 4 years per term.
- Individuals are eligible to be elected for two consecutive terms but are not eligible to run for a third term unless they have taken a break between four year terms.
- Qualifications: Candidates for governor of Tennessee must be at least 30 years old, be a citizen of the United States, and a Tennessee resident for at least seven years before the election. Additionally, they cannot hold any other public office during their time as governor.
Tennessee’s current governor, William “Bill” Byron Lee, a Republican who has served as governor since 2019. He was born in Franklin, Tennessee, attended Auburn University and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. After college he served as CEO of Lee Company, his family’s home services and construction company. He has served as a trustee on the board of Belmont University, chairman of YMCA of Middle Tennessee, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors, and president of the Associated Builders and Contractors, and been a board member of the Hope Clinic for Women and the Men of Valor Prison Ministry.
State Representatives first and foremost represent the interests of their districts and constituents as well as ensure the effective functioning of the state’s government by attending state legislative sessions. They are also responsible for generating legislation that can become state law. They vote on and review Tennessee’s state budget and serve on various committees where they provide oversight in the form of analyzing legislation, holding hearings and making recommendations.
- Salary: $28,406 per year
- Additional per diem of $326.47 for food, lodging and travel for Representatives who live further than 50 miles from Nashville or $47 for those living in Nashville.
- Plus $1000 each month for office management
- Term: 2 years
- Requirements: must be 21 years old, a US citizen, a Tennessee resident for at least three years and a year long resident in the country you wish to represent. You must also be a registered voter in the county you plan to represent.
- You are ineligible to run for office if you have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to certain crimes. These crimes include misdemeanors of domestic violence, felony charges, violations of federal and state laws or violations of city ordinances in relation to dishonesty, gambling, liquor or substance abuse.
The 67th, 68th and 75th districts represent the area of Montgomery County.
Jeff Burkhart is the State Representative for the 75th district. He is a Republican and is a father of one. He has an Associate Degree in Fire Science from Volunteer State Community College. He is a business owner.
Ronnie Glynn is the State Representative for the 67th district. He is a democrat, and a married father of four. He graduated from Trident University International with a BS in business administration and is a business owner.
Aron Mayberry is the State Representative for the 68th district. He is a Republican and the married father of three. He holds a degree in Arts of Pastoral Leadership from Valor Christian College and is a local pastor. He is also a business owner.
Chancellors preside over Chancery Court. Chancery Court handles civil cases which include but are not limited to real estate, workers’ compensation, guardianship, adoption, and divorce. Chancellors run every 8 years in partisan elections which means candidates run with party affiliation.
- Term: 8 years
- Salary range: $235,483 – $349,570 ( based on experience and other factors)
- Qualifications: you must be licensed to practice law, be at least 30 years old, be a resident of Tennessee for 5 years and be a resident of the 19th judicial District (Montgomery and Robertson Counties) for 3 years.
- must also be “learned in the law” which means being authorized to practice law in the state of Tennessee and be in good standing of the Tennessee State Bar Association
TBen Dean is one of two Chancellors serving the 19th District of Tennessee. He was elected in 2022. Chancellor Dean graduated from the University Memphis School of Law in 2005. He was admitted to the Tennessee State Bar Association that same year. After law school he was an associate lawyer with the firm of Bateson and Nolan until 2011. From 2011 until the 2022 election cycle he maintained his own law that handled general law as well as federal cases.
In 2024, Governor Bill Lee created a second Chancellor position in the 19th district and appointed Kimberly Lund to the job. Chancellor Lund will run for office during the 2026 election cycle. Chancellor Lund graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 2003. She was admitted to the Tennessee State Bar Association in 2003 and the Kentucky State Bar in 2004. She practiced law with the Kennedy Law firm before becoming Assistant General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. She then moved to the Tennessee Department of Investigations as a field agent in Robinson and Montgomery Counties. From there, she transitioned to the Office of District Attorney as an Assistant District Attorney. She held this position for 18 years before being appointed Chancellor.
School Board (districts 1, 3, 5, 7) Responsibilities, and Qualifications
The Clarksville Montgomery County School Board is responsible for setting district policies, developing the budget, approving charter schools, and holding the Director of Schools accountable for achieving the district’s educational goals. They establish expectations and goals for student achievement and ensure the School System operates effectively and efficiently. Clarksville Montgomery County is divided into 7 School Districts. Each School district has one elected School board member
- Salary: School Board members do not receive a salary, instead they are paid per meeting. For informal meetings they receive $250 and for formal $500. They receive $100 for attending other committees. They average around $450-550 per month which is on a par with county commissioners.
- Term: Four years. There are no term limits for School Board Members.
- Elections are staggered to ensure that there are always experienced members on the board.
- In the 2026 elections the following districts will hold school board elections: Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.
- District 3 has an open seat as of the time of writing. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. Fill out our candidate interest form if you’re considering running
- In order to run as a candidate for the school board, you must be 18 years old, and a United States citizen. Candidates must live in the district they represent. They are elected at-large by the residents of their own school district.
- Qualifications: must show proof of high school graduation or receipt of a G.E.D. Candidates cannot have been convicted or pled guilty to felonies or misdemeanors involving force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor or controlled substances. No member of the city legislative body nor any other county governmental official shall be eligible for election as a member of the city Board of Education. There is no filing fee to run, but candidates must submit a petition signed by 25 voters that live in their district.
The Sheriff is the Chief law enforcement officer of Montgomery County, TN. They are responsible for maintaining peace in the community, operating the county jail, attending court, serving legal processes, serving warrants, arresting individuals, investigating criminal activity, providing security for the court system and enforcing state and federal laws. The Sheriff also provides security for the court system of Montgomery County, executes criminal warrants and other orders of the court.
Term: 4 years (no term limits)
- Salary: $142,053
- Qualifications: you must be a US citizen, 25 years old, a high school graduate or the equivalent, a resident of Montgomery County for 1 year before the election is held and a qualified voter in the county.
- You may not have any felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling or controlled substances.
- You must also be able to pass a background check and be fingerprinted to run for the job.
John Fuson is the current Sheriff for Montgomery County, TN. Sheriff Fuson has held this office since 2012. Before holding the office of Sheriff, he completed a BS degree in public management and criminal justice from Bethel University. He began serving as Sheriff’s deputy in 1998 and left that office to become Sheriff in 2012. Sheriff Fuson also held the office of County Commissioner for the 7th District from 2010-2012
It is important to distinguish between the job of Clarksville, TN city mayor and Clarksville Montgomery County mayor. The City Mayor is the chief executive of the City of Clarksville and handles city-level administration, while the County Mayor (formerly called County Executive) is the chief executive for all of Montgomery County, overseeing county-wide services and finances. The key difference lies in their scope of responsibility: the City Mayor focuses on the operations and budget of the city, whereas the County Mayor’s responsibilities extend to the entire county’s public health, safety, record-keeping, and fiscal management. Duties of the City Mayor include supervising office staff, developing policies and budget suggestions and creating goals for Clarksville’s future.
- Term: four years. Can serve no more than 3 consecutive terms. There are no limits on the number of terms served.
- Salary Montgomery County Mayor: $186,718
- Requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen, 25 years old, have a high school diploma, and be a qualified voter. You must also be a resident of Clarksville for at least 12 months prior to the election’s qualifying deadline. You cannot serve if you have been convicted of certain crimes like domestic violence misdemeanors or other felonies or violations of laws related to force, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor, or controlled substances.
Duties of a Trustee involve collecting various taxes which include state, local and county taxes as well as municipal property taxes. The Trustee must also disburse sales tax, revenues and county funds.
- Term: 4 years
- Salary: between $41,000 and $47,000 depending on experience.
- Qualifications: you must be 18 years old, a US citizen and live in the state, county, district and circuit you are serving. You must also be registered to vote in the county you are serving and reside in that county for a period of one year before the election.
The current Trustee for Montgomery County is Beverly Wiggins. Trustee Wiggins was born in Brownsville, TN. She received a BS degree from Lambuth University and MBA from Bethel University. She began a career in retail management then moved into banking where she worked as branch manager, financial advisor and regional manager. She also has experience in wealth management and investments as a licensed broker/dealer. She has served as Trustee since 2018.
Circuit Court Clerks are constitutional officers who serve as the clerk of General Sessions and Juvenile Courts. County Court Clerks are responsible for a staff of 60 full time employees. The duties include administrative management, technology planning and deployment, court case management, records management and preservation of court exhibits, financial management (statutory fiduciary for Circuit, General Sessions and Juvenile Court), juror management, staff development – training and implementation of new laws and court procedures, statutory dissemination of information and data reporting to various agencies, and courtroom support for judges and judicial equivalents.
- Term: four years
- Salary: $121,836
- Requirements: must be 25 years of age, a US citizen, a high school graduate or equivalent, a resident of the county for 1 year prior to the filing deadline of the election and a qualified voter for said county. You cannot run if you have been convicted of certain crimes including misdemeanor domestic violence or felonies.
Wendy Davis is the current Circuit Court Clerk for Montgomery County, TN. Davis has worked for the Circuit Court Office for 24 years, with 18 of those years as Chief Deputy Clerk. She has been a resident of Clarksville since 1979. She graduated from Northwest High School in 1990 and joined the Circuit Court Clerk’s office in 1996.
The County Clerk is the clerk of the Montgomery County legislative body and maintains the official County Commission minutes which are available for public viewing. They are responsible for a staff of around 60 people and they must plan and manage the budget for the office. The duties of the Clerk deal with the numerous licenses issued by the county and state. These licenses include vehicle, marriage and business licenses. The County Clerk is also responsible for issuing beer licenses as well the issuance of passports and Notary Publics.
- Term: four years (no term limits)
- Salary: $29,775 to $58,542
- must be 25 years of age, a US citizen, a high school graduate or equivalent, a resident of the county for 1 year prior to the filing deadline of the election and a qualified voter for said county. You cannot run if you have been convicted of certain crimes including misdemeanor domestic violence or felonies.
Teresa Cottrell has been the County Clerk since 2020. She has been an employee of Montgomery County for over 35 years. Before becoming County Clerk, she served as Chief Deputy of the Clerk’s Office for 15 years
The Register of Deeds is a state established office responsible for all legal documents pertaining to real property. These documents include Warranty Deeds, Deeds of Trust, Releases, Powers of Attorney, Liens, Plats, Amendments, and other miscellaneous documents designated by state law to be recorded by the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds manages an office of around 45 employees as well as planning and overseeing the office’s budget.
- Term: four years (no term limits)
- Salary: $46,000 to $65,000
- In order to run for this office you must be 25 years of age, a US citizen, a high school graduate or equivalent, a resident of the county for 1 year prior to the filing deadline of the election and a qualified voter for said county. You cannot run if you have been convicted of certain crimes including misdemeanor domestic violence or felonies.
Julie Runyon is the current Register of Deeds. She has held the position since 2022. Julie Runyon is a native of Montgomery County. She graduated from Montgomery Central, obtained a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from UT Martin and a law degree from the University of Memphis. After graduation from law school, she practiced real estate law for 20 years. Her practice of real estate law included working with Register of Deeds offices throughout the state.
The County Commission is the governing body of Montgomery County, TN The county is divided into 21 one districts. Each district is represented by a county commissioner. These 21 commissioners manage the county’s budget, enact ordinances and resolutions, are responsible for overseeing county administrative, long-range planning as well as making decisions on land use, public safety, infrastructure and social services.
- Term: four years
- Salary: Commissioners do not earn a salary, instead they are paid per meeting at $100-$150*
- must be a US citizen, at least 25 years old by the qualifying deadline and a resident of Montgomery County for at least a year before the qualifying deadline. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent. They cannot have been convicted or pled guilty to felonies or misdemeanors involving force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor or controlled substances. A background check along with fingerprinting is also required. Candidates must live and be a qualified voter in the district they wish to represent.
- If you are not sure which County Commission district you live in, please check your current voter registration info at www.govotetn.gov or check the County Commission District Map.
- Candidates must also submit an election petition with 25 verified signatures from registered voters in their district
County Commissioners are as follows:
John Gannon District 1
Jason Knight District 2
Joe Smith District 3
Ricky Ray District 4
Rashidah Leverett District 5
Michael Lankford District 6
Nathan Burkholder District 7
Latonia Brown District 8
Jorge Pedro District 9
Jeremiah Walker District 10
Joe Creek District 11
Carmelle Chandler District 12
Walker Woodruff District 13
Joshua Beal District 14
David Harper District 15
Lisa Prichard District 16
Chris Rasnic District 17
Ryan Gallant District 18
Billy Frye District 19
Autumn Simmons District 20
David Shelton District 21
The Clarksville Mayor is distinct from the County Mayor. They are the chief executive responsible for the city’s administrative affairs. They oversee the day-to-day operations of the city government and are tasked with running city affairs in conjunction with the City Council.
- Term: two years
- Salary: $199,044
- must be a U.S. citizen, 25 years old, have a high school diploma, and be a qualified voter. You must also be a resident of Clarksville for at least 12 months prior to the election’s qualifying deadline. Additionally, you cannot have been convicted of certain domestic violence misdemeanors or other felonies or violations of laws related to force, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor, or controlled substances.
Joe Pitts is the current Mayor of Clarksville. He is a native of Clarksville and a product of the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. He graduated from Northwest High School in 1976, and from Austin Peay State University in 1980. Mayor Joe Pitts was first elected mayor of Clarksville, TN, on November 6, 2018.
The Clarksville City Council’s responsibilities include adopting the city budget, enacting ordinances to regulate municipal affairs, managing city finances and property, and setting salaries for city officials
- Term: four years (staggered, can serve no more than three consecutive terms)
- Salary: $14,243
- Requirements: must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of the City of Clarksville for at least 12 months prior to the election or appointment, and reside in and be qualified to vote in the specific ward you represent. Candidates must also be at least 18 years old and cannot hold certain other public offices or have an interest in municipal contracts
- If you are not sure which City Council Ward you live in, please check www.govotetn.gov or the Clarksville City Council Ward Map.
City Council Positions up for Re-election in 2026
CITY COUNCIL – WARD 1 Brian Zacharias
CITY COUNCIL – WARD 2 Deanna McLaughlin
CITY COUNCIL – WARD 6 Wanda Smith
CITY COUNCIL – WARD 7 Travis A. Holleman
CITY COUNCIL – WARD 10 Stacey Streetman
CITY COUNCIL – WARD 11 Joe Shakeenab
