Sullivan County, TN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Sullivan County: 31 seats on 8 elected bodies.

County Commission

Sullivan County Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerDavid Akard III source
County CommissionerTy Boomershine source
County CommissionerJoe Carr source
County CommissionerMichael Cole source
County CommissionerLarry Crawford source
County CommissionerAndrew Cross source
County CommissionerJoyce Crosswhite source
County CommissionerLakie Derrick source
County CommissionerJohn Gardner source
County CommissionerTodd Golden source
County CommissionerBob Harshbarger source
County CommissionerKim Harvey source
County CommissionerJosh Hayes source
County CommissionerStanley Hodges source
County CommissionerMark Ireson source
County CommissionerMatthew Johnson source
County CommissionerSamuel Jones source
County CommissionerDwight King source
County CommissionerHunter Locke source
County CommissionerTim Pullon source
County CommissionerZac Thomas source
County CommissionerDon Thompson source
County CommissionerMark Vance source
County CommissionerTravis Ward source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Assessor of PropertyDonna Whitaker source
Circuit Court ClerkBobby Russell source
County ClerkTeresa Jacobs source
County MayorZane Vanover source
Register of DeedsSheena Tinsley source
SheriffJeff Cassidy source
TrusteeAngela Taylor source

How many local governments Sullivan County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 13 local governments in Sullivan County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships30
School districts (school boards)00
Special districts (elected boards)90

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (3 in Sullivan County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Sullivan County

160,624people
45median ageU.S.: 38.9
$58,807 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
15.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
26.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$213,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.1%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
8.9%U.S.: 8.4%
43.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
25%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.6% · White 91.6% · Black 2% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Sullivan County

3.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.6%. Tennessee: 3.3%.
2,377people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
71,127people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
73,504in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Sullivan County 0.0%1.9%3.7%5.6%7.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.2%2,37771,12773,504
August 20263.5%2,58270,43073,012
July 20263.5%2,54770,76773,314
June 20263.8%2,77370,89573,668
May 20263.1%2,25871,37073,628
April 20263.1%2,31271,12573,437
March 20263.2%2,34770,49572,842
February 20263.7%2,73470,33373,067
January 20263.5%2,55870,76973,327
December 20253.3%2,46971,73774,206
November 20253.7%2,73671,59574,331
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.6%2,69471,99074,684
August 20253.5%2,61371,62874,241
July 20253.9%2,93571,44774,382
June 20253.9%2,93971,65774,596
May 20253.3%2,43971,79374,232
April 20253.0%2,24272,55074,792
March 20253.4%2,48471,32573,809
February 20253.3%2,42570,61673,041
January 20253.7%2,67570,11872,793
December 20243.4%2,43369,80572,238
November 20243.6%2,57069,49372,063
October 20243.5%2,53269,39171,923
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.5%2,60571,49674,101
20243.5%2,48168,80671,287
20233.4%2,35967,78270,141
20223.5%2,41767,23169,648
20214.4%3,04366,12969,172
20207.1%4,91264,37569,287
20193.6%2,56868,25870,826
20183.7%2,57067,76770,337
20174.0%2,82367,16169,984
20165.1%3,59466,26469,858

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Tennessee's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Sullivan County

299.4 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 492.3.
990.5 per 100,0002025. Tennessee: 1,636.6.
10murders2025, 325 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025325299.41,075990.5
2024430394.71,2511,148.2
2023447414.81,4931,385.6
2022465434.71,4171,324.6
2021464429.71,5821,465.1
2020468438.11,7491,637.1
2019372350.21,8891,778.5
2018472444.22,1382,012.2
2017433406.12,1432,009.7
2016488459.42,0871,964.7
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Sullivan County Sheriff's Office202521953378,652
Bristol Police Department20259751628,041
Bluff City Police Department20259261,843

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Tennessee · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.03 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 108,536 people.
220sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
250civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Sullivan County Sheriff's Office13822578,652
Bristol Police Department732528,041
Bluff City Police Department901,843
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20252202.032503
20222152.011893
20212242.071963
20202222.081963
20192232.101883
20182162.031803
20172061.931773
20162001.881703

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Sullivan County Assessor of Property?
Donna Whitaker is the Assessor of Property of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who is the Sullivan County Circuit Court Clerk?
Bobby Russell is the Circuit Court Clerk of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who is the Sullivan County County Clerk?
Teresa Jacobs is the County Clerk of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who is the Sullivan County County Mayor?
Zane Vanover is the County Mayor of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who is the Sullivan County Register of Deeds?
Sheena Tinsley is the Register of Deeds of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who is the Sullivan County Sheriff?
Jeff Cassidy is the Sheriff of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who is the Sullivan County Trustee?
Angela Taylor is the Trustee of Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Who are the Sullivan County commissioners?
David Akard III (County Commissioner); Ty Boomershine (County Commissioner); Joe Carr (County Commissioner); Michael Cole (County Commissioner); Larry Crawford (County Commissioner); Andrew Cross (County Commissioner); Joyce Crosswhite (County Commissioner); Lakie Derrick (County Commissioner); John Gardner (County Commissioner); Todd Golden (County Commissioner); Bob Harshbarger (County Commissioner); Kim Harvey (County Commissioner); Josh Hayes (County Commissioner); Stanley Hodges (County Commissioner); Mark Ireson (County Commissioner); Matthew Johnson (County Commissioner); Samuel Jones (County Commissioner); Dwight King (County Commissioner); Hunter Locke (County Commissioner); Tim Pullon (County Commissioner); Zac Thomas (County Commissioner); Don Thompson (County Commissioner); Mark Vance (County Commissioner); Travis Ward (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Sullivan County?
About 160,624 people, with a median age of 45; the median household income is $58,807 and 15.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Sullivan County?
3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 2,377 people unemployed in a labor force of 73,504, against 3.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Sullivan County?
13 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal and 9 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the county directory of the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS); each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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