Friends and associates paid tribute Friday to Claude “Bud” Knowles, the Hamilton County elections administrator who died Friday after a yearlong battle with cancer.
Election commissioners called Mr. Knowles “open and honest,” and commission Chairman Mike Walden called him a “true friend” who always gave him wise counsel and served as an example of nonpartisan politics.
“Bud always put the voter first,” Mr. Walden said. “Hamilton County has lost an outstanding public servant.”
Mr. Knowles hails from a family with a long tradition of public service. His brother Bill is the Hamilton County clerk. Another brother, Joe Knowles, is a former Chattanooga Fire Department chief. His late father, Claude Knowles Sr., was a detective with the Chattanooga Police Department.
Mr. Knowles died at his Harrison home, family members said. He was 74.