Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026
Clifton City Commission Election 2026
3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 8 candidates running. Updated Oct 21, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check
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How to vote · 11 days left
Absentee ballot request deadline (Oct 24): the election office's noticeThese links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.
City Commissioner
Vote for up to 3- Tommy BoydCandidate for City Commissioner on the Nov. 3, 2026 Clifton ballot.1sourced
- Johnniecia CookeBusiness professional with more than 20 years of experience in leadership, operations and marketing. She takes part in Clifton's Rotary Club, Main Street Development Committee and Chamber of Commerce.3sourced
- Christopher HuntingfordWorked 20 years for Verizon and Frontier Communications, finishing as a call center manager. He and his family own the Clifton Marina, and he served as an elected commissioner for Spring Valley Lake, California.5sourced
- Chris KelleyCandidate for City Commissioner on the Nov. 3, 2026 Clifton ballot.1sourced
- Jeff LetsonIncumbentClifton City Commissioner running for re-election to the commission.6sourced
- Tom MathisFormer Wayne County Commissioner for District 2 (Clifton), who served 24 years on the county commission. He retired from TDOC with 30 years of experience, mostly in a supervisory role.3sourced
- James NewcombCandidate for City Commissioner on the Nov. 3, 2026 Clifton ballot.1sourced
- Layton PackwoodFormer member of the Clifton City Commission, which he says he served on for eight years.5sourced
Voters choose three at-large city commissioners from eight candidates; the three with the most votes win.
Also on your Nov 3 ballot
We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.
- GovernorOfficial candidate list, in its order
15 candidates on the ballot
- Marsha Blackburn · Republican
- Jerri Green · Democratic
- Misam Abidi · Independent
- Dean Brewer · Independent
- Ray Brown · Independent
- David Hatley · Independent
- Wendell Jackson · Independent
- Charles Van Morgan · Independent
- Eddie Lee Murphy · Independent
- Lauren Pinkston · Independent
- Victor L. Scoggin · Independent
- Dave Seeman · Independent
- Karl Knox Smithson · Independent
- L. Webb Taylor · Independent
- Robert C. Vick · Independent
- U.S. SenateOfficial candidate list, in its order
10 candidates on the ballot
- Bill Hagerty · Republican
- Marquita Bradshaw · Democratic
- Tharon Chandler · Independent
- Andrew Gerena · Independent
- Jeremy Dean Hearn · Independent
- Robert Jones · Independent
- James William Macon III · Independent
- Yoshi D. Matthews · Independent
- David Sutman, Jr. · Independent
- Catherine Barcel "Barcy" Whitson · Independent
- Statewide measures3 on the ballot: the state's official explanations
Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.
Already on the council, not on the ballot
Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.
- Mark StaggsMayor of Clifton and a member of the City Commission.4sourced
- Dwight ThompsonCity Commissioner; his seat is next on the ballot in 20284sourced
Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.
What the next council decides
01New water treatment plant4 sourced facts
Where it standsClifton awarded a $25.8 million contract in 2025 to build a new water treatment plant, mostly funded by a state loan.
What's on the tableThe next commission will oversee construction and decide how to cover the rest of the plant's cost.
- The Clifton City Commission voted 4-1 on Sept. 22, 2025, to award the bid for the engineering and construction of a new water plant to Bowen Engineering Corporation. The Wayne County News, Oct. 1, 2025 · Oct 1, 2025
- TDEC announced a $15,903,809 loan for the City of Clifton from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program, with a 20-year term at 1.32 percent interest. The Wayne County News, Oct. 1, 2025 · Oct 1, 2025
- The low bid of $25,800,000 meant the city would need to secure $9,896,191 in additional funding to build the new plant. The Wayne County News, Oct. 1, 2025 · Oct 1, 2025
- The new plant will be built to handle 1.5 million gallons of water per day and remove most contaminants, such as PFAS, from the town's drinking water. WSMV · Jan 2, 2026
02City manager2 sourced facts
Where it standsClifton's city manager resigned in 2026, and the commission must hire a replacement.
What's on the tableThe next commission will choose the new city manager and set what is expected of the job.
- City Manager Kristeen Duren resigned in 2026. The Wayne County News, Oct. 7, 2026 · Oct 7, 2026
- The City Commission hires the City Manager and evaluates the performance of personnel, services and programs. City of Clifton
03Commission meetings3 sourced facts
Where it standsAfter a September 2026 meeting was cancelled for lack of a quorum, the commission agreed to hold its meetings at the fire hall.
What's on the tableThe next commission will decide where it meets and how residents take part in meetings.
- Only Mayor Mark Staggs and Vice Mayor Tammy Prince attended the Sept. 28, 2026 regular meeting, and the mayor declared there was no quorum. The Wayne County News, Sept. 30, 2026 · Sep 30, 2026
- At a special session on Oct. 5, 2026, the commission unanimously agreed that its meetings will be held at the fire hall, where there is more room. The Wayne County News, Oct. 7, 2026 · Oct 7, 2026
- The Board of Commissioners meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6 p.m. City of Clifton
2 notes on these statements
Commissioners Michael Francis and Tammy Prince are not running to keep their seats. The Wayne County News, Oct. 14, 2026 · Oct 14, 2026
Mark Staggs and Dwight Thompson are not on this ballot; their seats will be on the ballot in 2028. The Wayne County News, Oct. 14, 2026 · Oct 14, 2026
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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. Should Clifton have awarded the $25.8 million contract to build a new water treatment plant?
2. How should Clifton cover the rest of the water plant's cost?
3. Should the commission meet in a larger space so more residents can attend?
Key dates
- Voter registration deadlineTennessee Secretary of StateOct 5, 2026
- Early voting beginsTennessee Secretary of StateOct 14, 2026
- Absentee ballot request deadlineTennessee Secretary of StateOct 24, 2026
- Early voting endsTennessee Secretary of StateOct 29, 2026
- Election DayWayne County Election Commission · Nov 3, 2026Nov 3, 2026
The seat math
2 stay (not up this year): Mark Staggs, Dwight Thompson3 on this ballot
5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.
- The Clifton City Commission consists of five commissioners. The Wayne County News, Oct. 14, 2026 · Oct 14, 2026
- The Board of Commissioners is elected by the voters of Clifton biennially, serving at-large. City of Clifton
- Commissioners serve four-year terms. City of Clifton
- A new mayor and vice mayor are selected from among the commissioners after each election. City of Clifton
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