The new Hamilton County Republican Party will get an opportunity to show its chops in 2026 since three members of the Hamilton County Board of Education, including its two most senior members, will not be running for election next year.
Leaders of the new party, who took control earlier this year, have pledged to build a strong conservative grassroots network that trains conservative candidates for county and city elections and challenges Democratic strongholds across the county.
Two of the three board members who will not be returning, board chair Joe Smith of Hixson (District 3), and Larry Grohn of East Ridge (District 8), are Republicans, while vice chair Karitsa Mosley Jones (District 5) is a Democrat.
Jones is serving her third term on the board, while Smith was appointed to the board in 2016 and then was elected to two full terms on his own. Grohn is completing his first term but has told other board members he plans to move out of the county.
Qualifying for the May 5, 2026, county primary begins Dec. 22, 2025, and continues through Feb. 19, 2026. The county general election is Aug. 6, 2026.