Sheriff
August 6, 2026 · Rutherford County, Tennessee · County · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 18 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 360,646 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(919,173 ÷ 360,646) ÷ ln(919,173 ÷ 5,079) = 18, comparing counties in TN (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
Sheriff is responsible for:
- Running the county's law-enforcement department, including deputies and patrols
- Running the county jail
- Serving court orders, such as evictions and warrants
- Providing courthouse security in many counties
Affected Areas: Immigration, Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control, Data Privacy, Civil Rights
Candidates
James Rankin
Independent · declared
James Rankin is an independent candidate for Rutherford County Sheriff.
Kenneth Barrett
Republican · declared
Kenneth Barrett is the Republican nominee for Rutherford County Sheriff and a Patrol Lieutenant with the Sheriff's Office.
Kevin Dodds
Independent · declared
Kevin Dodds is an independent candidate for Rutherford County Sheriff with a law-enforcement background.
Election sources
Source: rutherfordcountytn.gov
Source: secured.rutherfordcountytn.gov