Richie Beeler announces run for Knox County Clerk, pledges kiosks and wider records access

Richie Beeler, who has served as chief of staff in the Knox County Clerk's office for about four years, announced he is running for Knox County Clerk and laid out a three-word platform he said would guide his administration.

"Hello, I'm Richie Beeler and I'm running for Knox County Clerk," Beeler said in the announcement. He said he was born and raised in Knox County and that he first announced his intent to run in May 2025.

Beeler said the campaign will focus on "Invest, Improve, Insure." He said the first priority is to "invest in the amazing team we have in the Knox County Clerk's office," adding that he plans to meet individually with employees to learn their strengths and concerns. "When you have a workforce that likes their jobs, that wants to come to work, that's proud to work for Knox County, guess what happens? The people of Knox County are better served," Beeler said.

Under "improve," Beeler praised the current clerk's roughly seven-and-a-half years in office and said he would modernize customer service. He proposed installing self-serve kiosks "across our county in convenient locations" so residents could renew vehicle tags on their schedules and avoid long lines. Beeler said the county operates six locations now and that kiosks would reduce congestion and free staff to assist customers with other needs.

Beeler noted a technical constraint tied to the state's 2022 license-plate rollout: "That's because in 2022, the state of Tennessee put out a new license plate. Kind of hard to get a new plate at a kiosk, but that'll be priority number one in my administration," he said.

For "insure," Beeler said he would ensure that public records in the Clerk's custody — including legislative records of the Knox County Commission — are "secure, accurate, and accessible," while acknowledging some records are protected by privacy rules.

Beeler emphasized his motives for running: "I'm not just looking for a job... I'm not looking to further a political career. This is the first time I've ever sought public office in Knox County." He cited prior experience working 27 years in the Register of Deeds' office as a finance person and said, "in all that time, we never had one single audit finding."

Beeler also noted the Republican primary now lists four candidates. He closed by saying he would bring "integrity, transparency, and vision" to the office if elected.

The announcement outlines campaign priorities and specific service changes Beeler said he would pursue if elected. He did not provide detailed timelines, funding sources, or vendor plans for the kiosk rollout; those items were described as priorities for his administration