Your August Democratic Ballot: Meet the Candidates Before Early Voting Begins
Early voting starts Friday, July 17. Here are the Democrats running for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, and the Tennessee General Assembly—and where to learn more about the local candidates on your ballot.
Early voting begins this Friday, and Anderson County Democrats have important choices to make.
The August 6 election is actually two elections taking place at the same time. Democratic voters will choose our nominees for state and federal offices, while Anderson County voters will also elect local officials in the County General Election.
That means some candidates are competing to carry the Democratic banner into November. Other offices—including County Commission—will be decided now.
The Anderson County Democratic Party does not endorse candidates in contested Democratic primaries. Our responsibility is to give candidates a fair opportunity to be heard, help voters find reliable information, and trust Democratic voters to make their own decisions.
Below is a brief introduction to the state and federal Democrats who may appear on your ballot. The candidates listed here are confirmed by the official Anderson County sample ballot.
Looking for our local candidates?
Anderson County Democrats are running for County Commission in Districts 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8. These races will be decided in the August County General Election.
Governor of Tennessee
Five Democrats are seeking the nomination for governor. The winner will advance to the November election and compete to lead Tennessee after nearly two decades of Republican control.
Carnita Atwater
Dr. Carnita Atwater is a Memphis educator, counselor, public-health advocate, college administrator, and community organizer. She previously sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2022.
Atwater’s campaign emphasizes affordability, housing, healthcare and maternal care, rural hospitals and communities, public education, universal prekindergarten, support for farmers and veterans, environmental protection, and reversing the privatization of public services.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
Campaign website:
https://www.atwater4governor.com
Tim Cyr
Tim Cyr is a U.S. Army veteran and small farmer from Gallatin. His campaign is rooted in his experiences with military service, agriculture, rural communities, and the healthcare system.
Cyr has emphasized rural roads and broadband, Medicaid expansion, public-school funding, higher teacher pay, support for farmers and veterans, affordable childcare, paid family leave, reproductive freedom, mental healthcare, and environmental conservation.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
Campaign website:
https://www.timcyr.org
Jerri Green
Jerri Green is a Memphis City Council member, attorney, former public defender, and advocate for working families. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee and her law degree from Georgetown University.
Green’s campaign focuses on living wages, affordable childcare, paid family leave, stronger public schools, expanded healthcare, reproductive freedom, rural communities, farmers and veterans, housing, medical debt, environmental protection, and gun safety.
Campaign website:
https://greenforgovernor.com/
Adam “Ditch” Kurtz
Adam “Ditch” Kurtz is a Nashville musician and activist with a degree in political science. He is running as a political outsider and describes his campaign as an effort to make state government work for ordinary Tennesseans rather than entrenched interests.
His priorities include affordability, higher wages, labor rights, healthcare, public education, universal school meals, affordable childcare, reproductive freedom, tax fairness, and reducing corruption in state government.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
Campaign website:
https://www.ditch4governor.com/
Kevin Lee McCants
Kevin Lee McCants has worked as a corporate trainer and production supervisor and holds a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology. He also serves in online ministry alongside his wife.
McCants has focused his campaign on restructuring Tennessee’s economy, changing how healthcare is delivered and financed, preparing workers for artificial intelligence and automation, and creating greater economic opportunity for younger generations.
McCants is also seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
No website availble for McCants campaign.
United States Senate
Five Democrats are competing for the nomination to challenge Republican Senator Bill Hagerty in November.
Marquita Bradshaw
Marquita Bradshaw is a Memphis environmental-justice and human-rights organizer. She was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020 and again sought the nomination in 2024.
Her campaign emphasizes environmental justice, healthcare access, strong public schools, fair elections, immigration reform, living wages, universal background checks, criminal-justice reform, community-centered public safety, and voting rights.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
Campaign website:
https://www.marquitabradshaw.com
Maria Brewer
Maria Brewer is a Tennessee organizer, activist, and writer who previously served as Director of Party Affairs for the Tennessee Democratic Party.
Her campaign focuses on reducing the influence of corruption and concentrated wealth in government, expanding affordable healthcare, lowering costs, raising the minimum wage, improving teacher pay, and investing in early-childhood education.
Campaign website:
https://www.mariabrewerforsenate.com/
Kevin Lee McCants
Kevin Lee McCants is running in both the Democratic gubernatorial and U.S. Senate primaries.
His Senate campaign similarly focuses on healthcare reform, economic restructuring, preparing the workforce for changes in technology and artificial intelligence, and creating systems that allow younger and working-class Tennesseans to build greater economic security.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
No website availble for McCants campaign.
Civil Miller-Watkins
Civil Miller-Watkins is a longtime public educator and former school-district administrator who served as vice chair of the Fayette County Board of Education. She is also the mother of eight children.
Miller-Watkins describes her platform as centered on kitchen-table concerns, including public education, healthcare and reproductive care, living wages, gun safety, voting rights, immigration, rural communities, and protecting rural hospitals.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
Campaign website:
https://www.civil4tn.com/
Diana Onyejiaka
Diana Onyejiaka is a Nashville attorney, business owner, consultant, and adjunct professor. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Tennessee State University and a law degree from Southern University Law Center.
Her campaign emphasizes expanding healthcare access, improving maternal and postpartum care, restoring Affordable Care Act tax credits, supporting family caregivers, and bringing a data-driven approach to federal policymaking.
As of publication, the candidate has not made a campaign stop in Anderson County.
No website availble for Onyejiaka campaign.
United States House of Representatives, District 3
Anderson County is part of Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District. Two Democrats are competing for the nomination to challenge Republican Congressman Chuck Fleischmann.
Anna Golladay
Anna Golladay is a Chattanooga small-business owner, community advocate, and progressive faith leader.
Her campaign emphasizes affordable healthcare and Medicaid expansion, protecting rural hospitals, supporting public education, reproductive freedom, economic security, democratic accountability, and representation that remains accessible to the people of the district.
Campaign website:
https://annagolladay.com/
Bryan Martin
Bryan Martin of Signal Mountain is seeking the Democratic nomination for Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District. He formally entered the race following Tennessee’s 2026 congressional redistricting.
At the time of publication, limited biographical and platform information was available through publicly accessible campaign materials. We encourage voters to review any statements, campaign pages, interviews, and public appearances released by Martin before casting their ballots.
No website available for Martin campaign
Tennessee Senate, District 5
David Miller
David Miller is a teacher running to represent Anderson County, Loudon County, and part of Knox County in the Tennessee Senate.
His campaign focuses on supporting public schools and educators, removing the state sales tax from groceries, improving affordability for working families, and bringing a teacher’s perspective to the General Assembly.
Miller is unopposed for the Democratic nomination but will appear on the primary ballot.
Campaign website:
https://www.davidmillerfortennessee.com/
Tennessee House of Representatives,
District 33
Most Anderson County residents live in Tennessee House District 33, where two Democrats are competing for the nomination.
Anne Backus
Anne Backus spent 33 years at the Y-12 National Security Complex, working in project and program management. Her professional background includes overseeing complex projects, managing budgets, coordinating teams, and working within large institutions.
Backus has emphasized public education, affordable healthcare, economic security, constituent service, responsible management, and a willingness to work across political differences to produce practical results.
Campaign website:
https://www.backusfortn33.com/
Kelly McCampbell
Kelly McCampbell is a working mother and engineer at the Y-12 National Security Complex. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering.
McCampbell’s campaign focuses on affordability, eliminating Tennessee’s grocery tax, investing in public schools, protecting reproductive healthcare, defending local control, supporting workers and federal investment, and challenging the influence of corporations, lobbyists, and special interests in Nashville.
Compare the District 33 candidates
Anne Backus and Kelly McCampbell have both answered questions about public education, reproductive healthcare, affordability, local control, federal workers, development, campaign strategy, and how Democrats can compete in November.
Visit our District 33 Candidate Comparison to hear directly from both candidates before voting.
Tennessee House of Representatives,
District 41
A portion of northern Anderson County is located in Tennessee House District 41.
R. Jason Goodman
R. Jason Goodman is an electrical engineer from Wartburg and a graduate of Tennessee Technological University.
Goodman is unopposed for the Democratic nomination and will appear on the ballot for Democratic voters who live within District 41.
Learn more from the Goodman campaign.
Don’t stop after the state and federal races
The candidates at the top of the ballot receive most of the attention, but some of the decisions that affect daily life most directly are made much closer to home.
County Commissioners vote on funding for schools and libraries. They make decisions about roads, emergency services, public safety, county facilities, infrastructure, development, and the county budget. They help determine whether local government is transparent, whether public services remain strong, and whether residents have a meaningful voice in the decisions affecting their communities.
Democratic nominees appearing in the County Commission general election include Rodney Archer in District 3, Marty May in District 5, Ebony Capshaw and Derek Guy in District 6, Sharon Bourgeois Capshaw and Steve Verran in District 7, and Ashley Craven and Elizabeth “Liz” Henry in District 8. The official ballot lists County Commission as a vote-for-two contest, meaning voters may select up to two candidates in their district and the two highest vote-getters are elected.
Visit our Local Candidate Guide to meet the Democrats running in your district and understand how to use your votes effectively.
Make your voting plan now
Before early voting begins, take a few minutes to research the candidates, review your sample ballot, confirm your voting district, and decide who has earned your support.
Early voting runs from Friday, July 17, through Saturday, August 1.
Election Day is Thursday, August 6.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Monday, July 27.
The choices made in this election will determine who represents Democrats in November—and who represents Anderson County in local government for the next four years.
Every race matters. Every level of government matters. And every vote is part of building the Anderson County and Tennessee we know are possible.
Candidate summaries are based on publicly available campaign information and statements. Inclusion in this guide does not constitute an endorsement by the Anderson County Democratic Party.
