Bristol, TNVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Bristol City Council Election 2026

3 of 5

council seats up

3 contests

5 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council East District · 1 seat

City Council South District · Unopposed

City Council West District · 1 seat

Three district seats are on the ballot, one each for the East, South and West districts, with one seat to fill in each contest. The two at-large seats are not on this ballot.

1 note on these statements

Only David E. Warren is listed for the South District seat on the sample ballot. Sullivan County Election Commission

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Rae AkardCouncilmember, At-Large; term expires 20285sourcedVince TurnerCouncilmember, At-Large; term expires 20287sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz2 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesProperty taxes and the city budget, Data centers, Rezoning and land useKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

Get your Bristol ballot cheat-sheet

Candidates, positions and dates in one email, sent now.

One email now. We only email again if you ask. No ads, never sold.

Next date

Voter registration deadline

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Property taxes and the city budget

Where it standsThe council adopted the 2026-27 budget in June 2026 with the property tax rate unchanged at $1.845 per $100 of assessed value.

What's on the tableThe council elected this year will set the next budget and property tax rate.

Data centers

Where it standsA two-year moratorium on establishing data centers was adopted in October 2025.

What's on the tableThe council will decide whether to extend the moratorium, end it, or replace it with zoning rules.

Rezoning and land use

Where it standsThe council is acting on rezonings and temporary land use moratoria, with the Future Land Use Plan last reviewed about five years ago.

What's on the tableThe council will decide rezoning requests, whether to keep restricting permanent campgrounds, and how to apply the land use plan.

Borrowing for capital projects

Where it standsThe 2026-27 budget funds most capital purchases with proceeds from a planned debt issuance.

What's on the tableThe council will decide whether and how to issue the debt and what to do with purchases if it does not happen.

Employee pay and the city manager

Where it standsMatt Slagle became city manager in August 2026 after the council approved his employment agreement.

What's on the tableThe council will work with the new city manager on budgets, staffing and pay.

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. How should the city set its property tax rate?

  2. 2. What should the city do about new data centers?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Rae Akard, Vince Turner3 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

Take your ballot with you

Who is on your ballot, where each candidate stands, and the dates that matter, in one email you can carry to the polls. Sent right now.

One email now. We only email again if you ask. No ads, never sold.

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.