Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk
August 6, 2026 · Davidson 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 · 4 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 715,388 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(919,173 ÷ 715,388) ÷ ln(919,173 ÷ 5,079) = 4.82, comparing counties in TN (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Low representation + an uncontested race → Very low vote impact.
Clerk of Court is responsible for:
- Keeping court records and case files
- Collecting court fines and fees
- Managing jury summons in many places
- Helping the public file and find court documents
Affected Areas: Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Data Privacy
Candidates
Howard Gentry
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Howard Gentry is the incumbent Criminal Court Clerk for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County and the Democratic nominee for another term. The official clerk directory identifies him as the officeholder, and he won the May 2026 primary without named opposition.
Election sources
Source: nashville.gov
Source: nashville.gov
Source: nashville.gov
Source: nashville.gov