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← Back to Fayette County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-05-05

Contest for County Commissioner District 4 Position 1

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primary - Partisan - County Commissioner District 4 Position 1

About this office

Fayette County Commissioners are members of the county's legislative body. Fayette has 14 single-member districts; some districts elect two commissioners at-large within the district (the second position is noted). The County Commission passes resolutions and ordinances, approves the annual county budget, sets the property-tax rate, and enacts countywide policy. Each commissioner represents roughly 2,000 residents — a much smaller constituency than in urban counties, where retail relationship-based politics has more weight. Members must complete at least seven hours of continuing education annually through the UT County Technical Assistance Service.

Term length: 4 years.

This role calls for

  • Policy judgment on countywide matters — budget, taxes, land use, services — within Tennessee county-government law.
  • Budget literacy: commissioners set the property-tax rate and approve the county budget.
  • Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on resolutions and ordinances.
  • Constituent relations in a district of roughly 2,000 residents — retail, relationship-based politics.
  • Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual continuing education through UT CTAS.

Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.

Campaigns

Democratic Primary 1 candidate
Cindy Lamb

Cindy Lamb
👍 👎 🤡 😡 🤷
No biographical information was located in searches of Fayette County Democrats, Tennessee Democrats, local news, Ballotpedia, or Facebook. A separate Susan Lamb appears as a Democratic candidate for Fayette County Clerk in 2026 but that is a different person and office. Bio does not indicate prior public service, county-budget experience, documented community leadership, or career background. She has not filed a Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest.
Republican Primary 1 candidate
Kevin J. Powers

Kevin J. Powers
👍 👎 🤡 😡 🤷
Appointed Fayette County Commissioner and, per his LinkedIn, also serves on the Fayette County School Board District 2. Party background is extensive: has served as Chairman of the Fayette County Republican Party, Secretary of the West Fayette Republican Club, and was selected as a Tennessee delegate for Donald Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Tennessee Ethics Commission filings show 2025 Statement of Interest as School Board and 2026 as County Commission, consistent with a mid-2025 appointment shift. Was quoted in 2021 Tennessee Lookout coverage criticizing the county's then-proposed redistricting map.