BALLOT BREAKDOWN
District Attorney General The 20th Judicial District elects the District Attorney General every eight years. To qualify for the office one must be a duly licensed attorney admitted to practice of law in Tennessee and a resident for five years and living in their judicial district for one year. This office is responsible for the prosecution of all alleged violations of state criminal laws that occur within
GLENN FUNK Glenn Funk has served as Davidson County District Attorney since 2014. He holds an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi. According to Funk, his goal is to prosecute violent crimes but prioritize treatment and rehabil-
itation for non-violent offenders and describes himself as a change agent who has pushed needed reforms since taking office. During his tenure, minority representation among assistant district attorneys has grown from 3 percent to 28 percent. He stopped prosecuting for possession of small amounts of marijuana, and announced that he would not enforce recently enacted state laws that limit ac-
Public Defender The head of the Davidson County Public Defender’s office is an elected position every four years. Candidates must be a licensed attorney, resident in Tennessee for five years, and reside in the judicial district for one
year. Typical responsibilities include representing clients in General Sessions Court, Criminal Court, and Juvenile Court, and working collaboratively with other defense team members, including investigators, so-
MARTESHA L. JOHNSON Nashville native Martesha L. Johnson is the incumbent and the first African American to be elected to this position. Johnson earned her undergraduate degree at Tennessee State University and her J.D. from the
ERICA GILMORE
cess to abortions and impact the rights of transgender Tennesseans. Funk also declined to prosecute teachers who require masks in their classrooms, in spite of Gov. Bill Lee’s executive order. In 2019, Funk publicly apologized for a photo of him and his fraternity brothers posing with a Confederate flag, calling his behavior “hurtful and divisive.” In 2021, Funk’s decision to agree to a plea deal with former
cial workers, and legal assistants. Residents are eligible for legal representation from a public defender in General Sessions Court if their annual income is 125 percent below federal poverty guidelines. In Criminal Court, the judge determines eligibility based on income. The mission of the Metropolitan Public Defender’s Office is to defend the liber-
University of Tennessee College of Law. Johnson is the current president of the Nashville Bar Association. Johnson has represented clients from diverse social and economic backgrounds in general sessions and state criminal court, conducting hearings, trials, factual investigations, legal research and negotiations. She
County Trustee The Office of the Trustee is a constitutional office created to lead the tax collection agency for each county. The trustee acts as a treasurer or banker, collecting property, personal, and public utility taxes. A trustee’s duties are to pay the county’s bills, settle claims, and keep a fair and regular account of all transactions. The office also administers tax relief, tax deferral, and tax freeze programs and collects and processes delinquent taxes, central business improvement district taxes, gulch central business improvement district taxes, and vegetation liens.
Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. Both felony and misdemeanor crimes are prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office along with the criminal acts of juveniles. The District Attorney’s Office is committed to public service, fairness and justice for all. District Attorneys are responsible for ensuring victims constitutional
Metro Nashville Police Officer Andrew Delke led to protests in Nashville. Funk serves on the board of the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Nashville Children’s Alliance, the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee, the Optimist Club, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Leadership Council, Arc of Davidson County & Greater Nashville and Dismas House.
ty, honor, and constitutional rights of the individuals, of all ages, whose cases have been entrusted to them. Through zealous advocacy, they strive to deliver excellence in their representation of each and every client but also to stand with their clients and the community to create a more just, fair, and compassionate legal system.
has also led two criminal court teams and been a part of leadership and policy-making groups, including the Community Corrections Advisory Board. Johnson is also an active participant in DEFEND Nashville, and an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University of Law. She focuses on her client’s education surrounding consti-
Nashville native Erica Gilmore is a long-time public official running for re-election to the office of Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Trustee. She has served in the position since August of 2020. Gilmore received her bachelor’s degree in English at Howard University, her master’s degree in English at Tennessee State University, and has taught at Fisk University and Nashville State Community College. She also has a
rights are protected. They work in their community with treatment centers and support services to prevent crimes and increase safety. They are expected to advocate for vulnerable populations and oversee the administrative needs of their offices to make sure their teams are equipped with the training, resources, and support they need to perform their duties.
tutional rights and the criminal justice process. Johnson believes that people should be treated with dignity regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation or the nature of the charges against them. She has been a staunch advocate for the decriminalization of poverty and the elimination of wealth-based disparities.
Master of Arts and Executive Degree in government. She formerly served as an at-large council member where she spent 12 years on the Budget and Finance Committee. Gilmore was also a public school teacher. With family ties to public service, Gilmore’s mother is State Senator Brenda Gilmore, and her father is retired Juvenile Court Officer Harry Gilmore. She makes frequent appearances at many public forums and community meet-
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ings to talk directly with the citizens of Nashville about the change they want to see in their communities. Gilmore advocates for government transparency, racial justice, affordable housing, the importance of education, an increase in the minimum wage, and community safety. Gillmore has earned a reputation as a strong, pragmatic legislator who champions bold and progressive solutions to remedy Nashville’s toughest challenges.
