Knox County, TN (WOKI/ WVLT) – Knox County voters elected Betsy Henderson who will be the county’s first female mayor. According to reported election results, Henderson defeated Beau Hawk with 52.47% of the vote.
Henderson previously served on the Knox County Board of Education for six years and has longstanding family ties to Knoxville.
In comments made before the election, Henderson discussed several priorities, including avoiding a property tax increase, reviewing county spending, supporting competitive pay for county employees through a structured process, and addressing infrastructure needs associated with growth in Knox County.
She noted that Knox County Schools represents a significant portion of the county budget and said she supports investing in employees while emphasizing transparency and planning in compensation decisions.
Henderson also identified road improvements and managing growth as key issues, particularly in rapidly developing areas of the county. She said she would like to create a committee to identify potential areas for spending reductions within county government.
As county mayor, Henderson will serve as the chief executive of Knox County government.
