Another deputy of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department has announced his run for sheriff in 2026.

Deputy Dan Short says he hadn’t planned to announce this early, but the overwhelming support and encouragement from the community led him to go public. Short says he will run in the Republican primary on May 5, 2026.

His campaign platform focuses on increasing transparency between the sheriff’s office and the community, strengthening relationships with community partners and allied agencies, and seeking additional resources to address crime, addiction, and mental health challenges in Knox County.

He is entering his 18th year in law enforcement and is an honorably retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps and Army National Guard, serving a combined 21 and a half years. He says he hopes to earn the community’s trust, support, and votes in the coming months.

Short joins Chief Deputy John Fuller, who announced his candidacy for sheriff earlier this month.