GoalMind VoteSmart Ballot GuideTennessee General Election · Johnson County · Nov 3, 2026 · DRY RUN

Voter Name:

Tennessee General Election · Johnson County, Tennessee · Tuesday, Nov 3, 2026 · Research prepared Oct 21, 2026

How to use this guide

• This guide does not tell the voter who to vote for. It checks each candidate against the voter's own stated values and priorities and labels what is fact, what is allegation, and what is unknown.
• ✔ = matches the voter's stance · ✘ = conflicts · ? = no reliable record found. VH = very high weight, H = high, M = medium, L = low.
• Endorsements and donors are listed, not scored. The voter judges them.
• Research was done by an AI research assistant from news and official sources on Oct 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of each part. Low-profile races have thin records — "no record found" means none was found, not proof of a clean record.
• Race list status: the county had not posted its November sample ballot when this was prepared. The race list below comes from state and news sources. The voter should compare it with the official sample ballot (county election commission, 423-727-8592) before voting.
• At the polls: confirm Tennessee's rules on paper notes and phones with the Johnson County Election Commission before voting.

The voter's stated stances and weights

DRY-RUN TEST DATA — made-up stances, not a real voter.

Ground rules the voter set

1. Endorsements and donors are listed as facts only, not scored.
2. Ethics problem = proven corruption or dishonesty. Rude or unprofessional conduct is noted but not scored as an ethics failure.
3. Party labels are shown as printed on the ballot.
4. Many independent candidates for Governor: list each in one line; research more only if the voter asks.

Voter's ballot card (fill in, then take this page to vote)

Part 1 — Statewide, federal, and local races (first set of races)

1. Governor (open seat — Gov. Bill Lee is term-limited)

The state's chief executive: signs or vetoes laws, runs state agencies, proposes the budget.

Marsha Blackburn (Republican) — U.S. Senator since 2019; U.S. House 2003–2019; State Senate 1998–2002.

• ✔ Taxes (H): helped block a state income tax about 26 years ago; wants a "state-level DOGE" to cut spending.
• ✘ Health care (VH): has opposed expanding the Affordable Care Act. No stated plan on Medicaid expansion found.
• ✘ Education (H): wants to expand the state's private-school voucher program.
• ✘ Abortion (M): has traditionally opposed abortion access.
• Ethics (VH): Allegation: a U.S. Senate ethics probe is examining her use of public tax dollars for campaigning. No finding reported. She has not released related documents a fellow Republican asked for.
• ? Guns, immigration, crime, Social Security, rural services: no stated positions found in this pass.
• Note: declined a televised Republican primary debate.

Jerri Green (Democrat) — Memphis City Council member since 2023; former Chief Public Defender, Shelby County.

• ✔ Health care (VH): her top priority is Medicaid expansion, covering about 300,000 uninsured Tennesseans.
• ✔ Taxes (H): would end the grocery tax and stop tax rebates to big businesses. ? No stated position on other taxes.
• ✔ Education (H): would pause voucher expansion and fully fund public schools.
• ✔/? Abortion (M): would protect doctors from prosecution under the state's abortion laws; her position on later-pregnancy limits was not found.
• ? Immigration (M): would end the Highway Patrol's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Inference: partly matches "humane treatment," unclear on "secure the border."
• ? Guns, crime: no stated positions found. ✔ Ethics: no findings found.
• Backers: campaign reports no money from pro-voucher groups.

13 independent candidates (one line each, per ground rule 4): Misam Abidi (credit consulting founder; Fact: indicted in June 2026 on charges tied to an alleged crypto investment scheme — not convicted), Dean Brewer (first run), Ray Brown (electrician), David Hatley (business owner), Wendell Jackson (performer), Charles Van Morgan (former police officer and Highway Patrol deputy), Eddie Lee Murphy (ran for Congress in 2025), Lauren Pinkston (former teacher and professor), Victor Scoggin (Navy veteran, retired volunteer firefighter), Dave Seeman (business owner), Karl Knox Smithson (community activist), L. Webb Taylor (no background found), Robert C. Vick (former teacher and principal).

Voter's notes:

2. U.S. Senate (incumbent running)

Bill Hagerty (Republican, incumbent) — U.S. Senator since 2021; former U.S. ambassador to Japan; former state economic development commissioner.

• ? Social Security (H), health care (VH), taxes (H): specific votes not pulled in this pass.
• ✔ Ethics: no findings found.

Marquita Bradshaw (Democrat) — Memphis environmental activist; executive director of Sowing Justice. Lost to Hagerty in 2020.

• ✔ Health care (VH): supports "Medicaid for All."
• ? Taxes (H): supports the Green New Deal; cost and tax effects not stated in sources found. Inference: may conflict with "no new taxes."
• ✔ Ethics: no findings found.

Voter's notes:

3. U.S. House, District 1 (incumbent running)

Diana Harshbarger (Republican, incumbent) — U.S. Representative since 2021; pharmacist (Kingsport).

• ✔ Immigration (M) — partial: voted in June 2026 to fully fund immigration enforcement. Inference: matches "secure the border"; praised the Sevier County immigration raids, which may conflict with "treat people humanely."
• ? Health care (VH): has called for more transparency in medical billing; no Medicaid position found.
• Fact (Tennessee Lookout): said tens of thousands of minors were "manipulated" into gender surgeries, without offering evidence.
• ✔ Ethics: no findings found. Declined to be interviewed by Tennessee Lookout.
• Money: raised $871,000 in 2026 (through June). Donors of $2,500+ include BWX Technologies, Publix, Home Depot, Eastman Chemical, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Verizon, Walgreens.

Kristi Burke (Democrat) — first-time candidate; describes herself as an outsider.

• ✔ Health care (VH): supports universal free health care.
• ✔ Education (H): fully funded public schools; higher teacher pay.
• ✘/? Taxes (H): wants the wealthy and corporations to pay more. Inference: conflicts with "no new taxes" if it means higher taxes overall.
• Fact: was removed by security at a 2025 Harshbarger town hall while trying to ask about Medicaid cuts.
• ✔ Ethics: no findings found.
• Money: $53,773 raised; $27,533 cash on hand (as of Mar 31, 2026).

Voter's notes:

4. State Senate, District 3 (unopposed)

Rusty Crowe (Republican, incumbent) — no opponent on the ballot. Light check only (not researched yet).

Voter's notes:

5. State House, District 3 (incumbent running)

Timothy Hill (Republican, incumbent) — State Representative 2012–2020 and again since 2023; former congressional press secretary, business owner, radio host.

• Note: signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge (term limits is not one of the voter's listed issues, so it is not scored).
• ? Voting record on the voter's issues: not pulled in this pass.
• ✔ Ethics: no findings found.
• Beat Lori Love in 2023 (74.5%) and 2024 (83.0%).

Lori Love (Democrat) — officer in her local Central Labor Council (labor union group); Blountville. Third run against Hill.

• ✔ Rural services (H): opposes rural hospital closures and loss of trauma care.
• ✔ Education (H): fully fund public schools.
• ✔ Guns (M): "common sense gun legislation"; says no one wants to take guns from law-abiding citizens.
• ✔ Ethics (VH): campaigns against per-diem abuse and absent members being recorded as voting.
• ✔ Ethics: no findings found.

Voter's notes:

6. Constitutional Amendment 1 — Bail for certain serious crimes

What it does: lets judges deny bail before trial for capital offenses, terrorism, second-degree murder, aggravated rape, and other listed felonies (73 offenses that require serving 85% of a sentence), when the proof is strong. Judges must state their reasons on the record. Today, only capital crimes can be denied bail.

To pass: more "Yes" than "No," AND "Yes" votes must exceed half of all votes cast for Governor.

• Supporters (claims): House Speaker Cameron Sexton says it keeps violent offenders from bailing out and reoffending, and adds transparency.
• Opponents (claims): the state bail agents' association; critics say it weakens the presumption of innocence, raises county jail costs, may be applied unevenly, and the ballot won't list all 73 offenses.
• ✔ Crime (H) — "keep violent offenders off the streets": matches.
• ✘/? Crime (H) — "protect due process and the presumption of innocence": critics say it weakens this. The voter's own stance pulls both ways here. Voter's call.

Voter's notes:

Open questions for the voter

1. Amendment 1 splits the voter's crime stance in two. Which part weighs more?
2. Should the research assistant pull Senate and State House voting records on health care, taxes, and Social Security in the next research round?

Sources by part

Part 1 (accessed Oct 21, 2026)

• WSMV, candidates for governor and Congress: https://www.wsmv.com/2026/09/28/election-2026-heres-everything-you-need-know-about-tns-candidates-governor-congress/
• Nashville Scene, Blackburn wins nomination: https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/marsha-blackburn-wins-republican-governor-nomination/article_7df6abb7-761a-423a-b9a4-15ba35991af0.html
• Tennessee Lookout, Jerri Green interview: https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/09/28/democratic-gubernatorial-contender-jerri-green-talks-affordability-republican-supermajority/
• Tennessee Education Report (opposes vouchers — advocacy source): https://tnedreport.com/2026/08/green-vs-blackburn-for-governor/
• WPLN, Hagerty vs. Bradshaw (2020 background): https://wpln.org/post/hagerty-bradshaw-senate-race/
• Tennessee Lookout, 1st Congressional District race: https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/06/30/inside-the-race-for-tennessees-1st-congressional-district/
• Wikipedia, 2026 U.S. House elections in Tennessee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Tennessee
• The Ballot Brief, Johnson County ballot (AI-assisted — lead only): https://theballotbrief.com/state/tennessee/johnson-county
• Tennessee Lookout, House District 3: https://tennesseelookout.com/voter-guides/contests/house-district-3/
• Ballotpedia, Timothy Hill: https://ballotpedia.org/Timothy_Hill
• Lori Love campaign site: https://electlorilove.com
• WSMV, three constitutional amendments: https://www.wsmv.com/2026/08/31/election-2026-these-3-changes-could-be-coming-tennessee-constitution-heres-what-know/
• Tennessee Lookout, three constitutional questions: https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/06/03/voters-face-three-constitutional-questions-in-november-election/
• Johnson County Election Commission: https://www.johnsoncountytn.gov/election-commission