Ray Brown
Independent candidate
Ray Brown is an independent candidate for governor on the general election ballot. Independent candidates qualify by petition rather than through a primary: 25 registered voters' signatures, filed with the Secretary of State by the March 10, 2026 deadline. Brown filed on January 14, 2026 and lives in Oliver Springs.
Oliver Springs, Anderson
No TREF disclosure on file at last refresh
Who they are
Politics1 lists him as Edgar “Ray” Brown and gives his occupation as electrician.
Source: Politics1
Why they are running
An independent voter guide published in May 2026 quotes Brown, from his Facebook page, saying he intends to “stand up against corruption within both legislative and judicial system.”
Source: Stephanie Johnson, Daughter of Tennessee (2026-05-25)
Where they stand on education
TNFirefly could not source any statement by Brown on schools, vouchers, school funding, or teachers.
How they qualified
Independents do not run in a primary. They reach the general election ballot by petition, which in Tennessee means gathering 25 valid voter signatures and filing by the qualifying deadline of March 10, 2026. Ray Brown filed from Oliver Springs on January 14, 2026, and the Secretary of State recorded the petition signatures as approved.
Brown filed on January 14, 2026, the earliest of the 13. No campaign website or news coverage of his candidacy could be located.
Sources
- 1. Politics1, Tennessee 2026 Elections
- 2. Stephanie Johnson, Daughter of Tennessee, The Independent Voter Guide: Governor of Tennessee (2026) (2026-05-25)
- 3. Tennessee Secretary of State, 2026 candidate lists (certified qualified candidates for governor)
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About this tracker
This tracker is produced by The Tennessee Firefly, an independent, nonpartisan news outlet covering education and government in Tennessee. We don't endorse candidates. We don't take political ads. We follow the money, the policy, and the people who shape your kids' schools. All data comes from official filings, verified reporting, and on-the-record sources, with freshness timestamps visible on every page that surfaces live data.