County

Sheriff, Madison County

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The sheriff runs the county jail and provides police patrols, especially outside city and town limits.

Candidates Compare by issue

Norman Rayford, Jr

Democratic

Assistant police chief, Anderson Police Department

The gist

Pledges to raise sheriff's office salaries to current standards.
Pledges better community relations and jail working conditions.

More about Norman

View sources (1)

Pledges to raise sheriff's office salaries to current standards.
Primary 2026: Candidate capsules (age, family, occupation, political experience and goals of candidates in contested Madison County primaries)
Candidate questionnaire · The Herald Bulletin · Apr 25, 2026 · heraldbulletin.com
“Support officers and staff with bringing salaries up to current standards.”
Pledges better community relations and jail working conditions.
Primary 2026: Candidate capsules (age, family, occupation, political experience and goals of candidates in contested Madison County primaries)
Candidate questionnaire · The Herald Bulletin · Apr 25, 2026 · heraldbulletin.com
“Significantly improve community relations with the Madison County Sheriff’s office. … Improve work conditions within the Madison County Jail.”

John L Beeman

RepublicanIncumbent

Madison County Sheriff

The gist

Pledges to finish and open the new jail's second phase.
Supports expanded jail mental health and addiction treatment.
Pledges to keep seeking raises for officers and civilian staff.

More about John

View sources (1)

Pledges to finish and open the new jail's second phase.
Primary 2026: Candidate capsules (age, family, occupation, political experience and goals of candidates in contested Madison County primaries)
Candidate questionnaire · The Herald Bulletin · Apr 25, 2026 · heraldbulletin.com
“To complete the build-out of Phase II of the new jail, transition to the new facility”
Supports expanded jail mental health and addiction treatment.
Primary 2026: Candidate capsules (age, family, occupation, political experience and goals of candidates in contested Madison County primaries)
Candidate questionnaire · The Herald Bulletin · Apr 25, 2026 · heraldbulletin.com
“implement newly expanded and innovative mental health and addiction treatment programs”
Pledges to keep seeking raises for officers and civilian staff.
Primary 2026: Candidate capsules (age, family, occupation, political experience and goals of candidates in contested Madison County primaries)
Candidate questionnaire · The Herald Bulletin · Apr 25, 2026 · heraldbulletin.com
“to continue fighting for pay raises for the merit officers and civilian staff to maintain staffing”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 2 issues covered in this race.