KnoxTNToday is dedicated to impartial coverage of Knox County politics and campaigns for government offices. Our commitment is to present all candidates equitably and to ensure transparency in our reporting. By fact-checking statements and engaging with the community, we aim to empower voters to make informed decisions.
We covered the Sheriff’s, Mayor’s, Judge’s, and Trustee’s races. Today, we cover three of the four candidates for Knox County Court Clerk who are on the ballot in the Knox County Primary Election to be held May 5, 2026: Richard “Richie” Beeler, John J. Duncan and John R. Whitehead. No response received from Rodney Lane. (Republicans). There is no Democratic candidate.
KnoxTNToday reached out to each and received responses to four questions. We are providing the responses that reflect those questions in alphabetical order.
What motivated you to run for county clerk, and what do you hope to achieve in this role?
Richard Beeler: It certainly isn’t because I’m “looking for a job” or just looking for something to do. I’m running because I believe I’m ready to lead the office I’ve been helping lead for the last 4 years. My goal is to support and empower our team to take the Clerk’s office into its greatest era of excellence. I’m incredibly privileged to be standing on the shoulders of one of Knox County’s most effective public servants in Sherry Witt. I’m confident we can build on what she has accomplished and make a good thing even better. Nothing becomes truly great without constantly seeking to improve. Specifically, I want to focus on two key areas: making our commission library records more readily accessible for the public, and improving motor vehicle services for all areas of the county. I intend to do this by identifying and implementing the newest and best technologies for digitization of records, and by doing a thorough analysis of population growth to identify specific areas of the county that can be better served through self-service technology and possibly new locations.
John J. Duncan: I love my community, and I’m running because the people of Knox County deserve a government that will provide the highest level of service at the lowest cost. I grew up in a family where the importance of public service was emphasized. I saw firsthand what true public service looks like when done correctly: Going out of your way to help people regardless of who they are and standing on your principles and doing the right thing, even when it might hurt politically. Public service also comes with plenty of personal sacrifices. Life can be much more comfortable in the private sector. But I believe life is best lived when we are working to help others. It’s hard to find a government office as close to the people as the County Clerk’s office. For the average person, it’s the “front door” of our government. I want to change the culture and truly put the people of Knox County first. I want everyone who comes into the office to feel respected and receive the highest level of service possible. After all, the people own the Clerk’s Office and the officeholder and staff are there to serve them.
I will operate an efficient office and eliminate waste wherever possible through the process of “zero based budgeting” principles, where every line-item expense must be scrutinized and justified. I will continue with the steps made by the current officeholder by posting financial reports online. I will increase openness and accessibility by making even more documents easily available and accessible to the public, including the records of the county commission. I also want to bring the office up-to-date from a technology standpoint, while not sacrificing personal one-on-one service.
Rodney Lane: No response received.
John R. Whitehead: Public service has been the foundation of my entire career. After serving our country as a United States Marine and Vietnam Veteran, I came home committed to serving the people of Knox County. For decades, I have worked in county government, and I understand the importance of leadership, accountability, and professionalism in public offices that serve citizens every day.
I was motivated to run for County Clerk because this office plays a vital role in the daily lives of Knox County residents. Whether it is vehicle registrations, title transfers, marriage licenses, or maintaining public records, the Clerk’s Office interacts with thousands of citizens each year. I believe the office deserves steady, experienced leadership.
If elected, my goal is to ensure the office operates efficiently, transparently, and with respect for the taxpayers. I want to maintain high professional standards, improve access to services, and ensure the office remains responsive and accountable to the public.
What specific experience do you have that qualifies you for the role of county clerk, and can you describe any previous roles where you managed large amounts of data or public records?
Richard Beeler: Serving as chief of staff in the Clerk’s office since 2022 has definitely given me valuable experience and knowledge of the multi-faceted role of the County Clerk. My prior service – 27 years as finance person in the Register of Deeds office – has also proven to be vital in my understanding of both the record-keeping duties and the financial structure of the Clerk’s office. Being the custodian of vital public records requires diligence in three areas: accuracy, security, and accessibility. My experience in the Register’s office, which manages millions of pages of records, has prepared me to take on the job of digitizing all the county commission records the Clerk is responsible for. On the financial side, fee offices, as these are often called, are operated more like a business than any part of local government, paying staffing and most operational expenses out of fees they collect rather than county tax dollars. Having extensive experience in how fee office finance works has uniquely prepared me to manage the Clerk’s office in a way that is a benefit, not a burden to the taxpayers of Knox County, always keeping in mind it’s the people’s money we’re stewarding, not the government’s.
John J. Duncan: I have over two decades of real world, private-sector experience. I’ve managed large numbers of people, data, and records both in and out of government. I started my career in banking, serving as Vice President of a regional bank where I managed branches and multiple departments. I’ve started my own small business, served as CEO of a medical technology company, and most recently, as a Territory Manager for Comcast.
I am also the only candidate who has actually served as the Officeholder of a traditional “Fee Office.” During my time as Knox County Trustee, I made some mistakes, which I take full ownership of, and I learned some painful lessons. I also led the office through more positive changes in a short amount of time than any fee office I’m aware of. These changes have proven over time to be effective, as all three Knox County trustees since have kept them in place. We made reforms that have saved taxpayers millions of dollars, such as eliminating the outrageous delinquent tax attorney contract, moving to a seasonal model for collections at satellite offices, and introducing new technology. I cut the budget by 20% yet the office still surpassed all projections for revenues and set new records at the time for collections, delinquent collections and investment income. We also turned over record amounts of revenue to the general fund to go towards education, law enforcement, and keeping taxes low.
Rodney Lane: No response received.
John R. Whitehead: I served 18 years as Chief Deputy Assessor and four terms as Knox County Property Assessor. In those roles, I was responsible for overseeing extensive property records, managing assessment data, supervising staff, and ensuring compliance with state regulations. The Assessor’s Office maintains detailed records for every parcel of property in Knox County. That involves managing large volumes of data, maintaining accurate records, and following strict reporting requirements set by the state of Tennessee.
During my time as Assessor, our office successfully completed four successive reappraisals without a single audit finding from the state. I also directed the first in-house reappraisal in the State of Tennessee. Those accomplishments required strong oversight, detailed record management, and disciplined operational leadership. Handling large amounts of public data and maintaining accurate records has been central to my work for decades.
What do you believe are the most important responsibilities of the county clerk?
Richard Beeler: The County Clerk is arguably the most important public facing office in Knox County. Because of the sheer number of different services the Clerk provides – vehicle registrations and titles, driver’s licenses, marriage licenses, business licenses and passports to name a few – the office is the only interaction some members of the public ever have with county government. For me this puts a premium on the kind of experience people have when dealing with the Clerk’s office. I want to create a culture where coming to the Clerk’s office is an experience people look forward to rather than one they dread. I believe a culture of positivity where team members feel truly valued will result in customers receiving better service and having a better view of their local government.
John J. Duncan: I believe the County Clerk has several very important responsibilities. Number one would have to be being a good steward of the people of Knox County’s money. We are at a crucial time where the usual suspects are using code words to try to lay the groundwork for future tax increases. It is imperative that we eliminate waste across the board and run efficiently and with fiscal responsibility.
The County Clerk is responsible for providing vital services to the people of Knox County. I will make it my responsibility to see to it that everyone who interacts with the Clerk’s office, regardless of who they are, is treated with the utmost respect, professionalism, and the highest level of service possible. I also believe its important to be completely open and transparent and I will set new standards for accessibility to records and financial documents. The people of Knox County are the primary stakeholders of the office and should be able to easily access anything they want or need to see.
Rodney Lane: No response received.
John R. Whitehead: The most important responsibilities of the County Clerk include maintaining accurate public records, providing efficient services to citizens, and ensuring accountability in the handling of public funds and documents. The office must ensure that services such as vehicle registrations, business licenses, marriage licenses, and other records are processed accurately and efficiently. Citizens should be able to trust that their information is handled professionally and that records are maintained properly. Another critical responsibility is transparency. The Clerk’s Office must maintain clear processes for public records access and operate with integrity and fairness. Ultimately, the Clerk must ensure the office runs smoothly, complies with state law, and serves the people of Knox County with professionalism and respect.
How do you plan to maintain accountability within the office of the county clerk?
Richard Beeler: I will publish all financial records of the Clerk’s office regularly and make them readily accessible to the public. There will be no fiscal waste, fraud, or abuse in my administration. Our finance office is absolutely stellar in the way they steward the people’s money, and we have multiple levels of checks and balances in place to ensure accuracy in our accounting. Within the office, accountability comes down to culture. I intend to foster an environment of transparency, where team members are rewarded for hard work and positive attitudes, and where they can express themselves in a penalty-free way to supervisors and to me. We have an incredibly dedicated team that works as hard or harder than any group of people in Knox County government. Empowering them by giving them every tool they need to succeed is the most important element to making the Clerk’s office the very best it can be.
John J. Duncan: Accountability starts at the top and as County Clerk, I will hold myself to the highest standards. I believe in taking responsibility, almost to a fault. Unlike other politicians, you’ll never hear me try to pass the blame or make someone a scapegoat. I will take ownership for my office’s mistakes but I will try my absolute hardest to prevent them from happening. As far as the office as a whole goes, I believe in creating and maintaining a culture where the employees share the same vision and passion for serving and helping others. I might be their manager but I will have the same bosses as they do: the people of Knox County.
I’ve managed all kinds of different people and we all are unique individuals who respond differently to particular leadership styles. Some people thrive with freedom and responsibility while others need constant coaching and feedback. Some respond well to praise and others might need a little constructive criticism. Regardless of the approach or techniques, we all perform better when we “buy in” and believe in what we are doing. I will try to surround myself with a team of professionals who share my desire to serve and give the people the office they deserve. We will be open, transparent, accountable, efficient, and will provide the highest level of service possible.
Rodney Lane: No response received.
John R. Whitehead: Accountability begins with leadership. I believe the person elected to lead the office must set the example by showing up, being present, and holding the office to the highest professional standards.
If elected, I will conduct regular reviews of internal procedures to ensure compliance with state requirements and best business practices. I will also adhere strictly to Knox County’s ethics policies and follow guidance from CTAS for records management and fiscal responsibility. I also believe accountability means transparency with the public. I support enhancing online access to records where possible, clearly outlining public records request procedures, and responding promptly to citizens. Most importantly, I will be a full-time Clerk who is engaged in the day-to-day operations of the office and committed to serving the people of Knox County with integrity and accountability.
Find more about each candidate on their websites if they have one.
KnoxTNToday will share other primary-race candidates’ views each Monday.
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