Tag: tennessee
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Rep. Barbara Cooper, Tennessee’s oldest serving lawmaker, dies
Tennessee Rep. Barbara Cooper (D) died on Oct. 25, 2022. Cooper was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1996. According to U.S. News & World Report, she was the oldest serving lawmaker in Tennessee history. Cooper most recently ran for election in 2020, winning with 72.7% of the vote. If there is…
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Measures to repeal constitutional language on slavery and indentured servitude as criminal punishments are on the ballot in five states this November
On November 8, 2022, voters in five states—Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont—will decide on amending their state constitutions to repeal language regarding the use of slavery or indentured servitude as punishment for a crime, or, in the case of Vermont, for the payments of debts, damages, fines, costs. The ballot questions are below: Alabama…
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All candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives District 26 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 26 —incumbent Greg Martin (R) and Allison Gorman (D) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. Eighty-eight of the country’s…
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Parents sue Tennessee school district over curriculum including race and gender topics
A parent group on July 8, 2022, filed a lawsuit in the Twenty-First Judicial District against Tennessee education officials and the Williamson County school district for allegedly violating state laws restricting teachings on race and gender. Tennessee House Bill 580 aims to prohibit school districts from incorporating materials into the curriculum that portray the United…
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Federal judge blocks Biden administration guidance on transgender students
A federal judge from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on July 15, 2022, struck down a Department of Education order that aims to protect transgender students and workers from discrimination. The Biden administration released the challenged guidance in response to recent legislation passed by states that aim to bar…
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Tennessee has its fewest contested state legislative primaries in five election cycles
Tennessee has 36 contested state legislative primaries this year, 16% of the total number of possible primaries, and a 5% decrease from 2020. This is the fewest contested state legislative primaries in Tennessee over the past five election cycles. A primary is contested when more candidates file to run than there are nominations available, meaning…
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Previewing Tennessee’s August 4 local ballot measures
Voters in Nashville and Memphis are heading to the polls on August 4 to decide on five amendments to their cities’ charters. Memphis voters will decide on one charter amendment. If passed, the Memphis measure would increase the term limits of the city council and mayor to three 4-year terms rather than the current two…
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Thirty-six candidates are running for the U.S. House from Tennessee
The filing deadline for candidates running for Congress in Tennessee this year was April 7, 2022. Thirty-six candidates are running for Tennessee’s nine U.S. House districts, including 13 Democrats and 23 Republicans. That’s four candidates per district, less than the five candidates per district in 2020 and the 5.44 in 2018. Here are some other…
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Funk defeats Myers, Nellis in Nashville District Attorney Democratic primary
Incumbent Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk defeated Sara Beth Myers and P. Danielle Nellis in the May 3 Democratic primary for that position. Funk received 43.4% of the vote, while Sara Beth Myers and P. Danielle Nellis received 40% and 16.6%, respectively. No Republicans filed to run in the Republican primary, leaving Funk without…
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New Tennessee ballot measure to change constitutional language on clergy serving in the General Assembly
Tennessee’s 112th General Assembly adjourned and certified a new constitutional amendment to put onto the ballot on April 28. This amendment would remove a section of Tennessee’s Constitution that disqualifies religious ministers from being elected into the Tennessee General Assembly. The newly certified amendment will join three others already certified to be on the ballot…