Candidate Election Petitions Available Next Week For 2026 Local Election

‘Tis the season and we’re not talking about just Christmas. As we move towards 2026, an election year, the Cocke County Election Commission is getting ready now. Election Commissioner for Cocke County, Josh Blanchard, says that candidate nominating petitions will be available for pickup at the election commission office starting on Monday, December 22. The nominating positions are for offices that include:

County Mayor;

Trustee;

Sheriff;

Circuit Court Clerk;

Sessions Court Clerk;

County Clerk;

Register of Deeds;

Superintendent of Roads;

Circuit Court Judge Part IV Unexpired Term;

Circuit Court Judge Part V;

County Commissioners (CLB), all 14 positions;

Road Commissioners, all seven positions;

Constables, all seven positions;

County School Board Member in Districts 1, 2, 4, and 6.

Completed nominating petitions for county offices need to be returned to the election commission office by Noon on Thursday, February 19, 2026. Sheriff candidates and Superintendent of Roads candidates have an additional deadline, sooner, on February 5, 2026, for their paperwork to be filed with state boards in Nashville.

For more information, you can visit the Cocke County Election Commission office in the Western Plaza Shopping Center in Newport. The Primary Election for county offices is May 5. The General Election will be August 6. That is also the date for state and federal primaries. The General Election for state and federal offices is November 3, 2026.