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Democratic Party primaries in Tennessee, 2022

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2024
2020

Democratic Party primaries, 2022

Tennessee Democratic Party.png

Primary Date
August 4, 2022

Federal elections
Democratic primaries for U.S. House

State party
Democratic Party of Tennessee
State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Tennessee on August 4, 2022.

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Tennessee utilizes a closed primary process; a voter must either be registered with a political party or must declare his or affiliation with the party at the polls on primary election day in order to vote in that party's primary.[1]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Federal elections

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Tennessee, 2022 (August 4 Democratic primaries)
The 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Tennessee took place on November 8, 2022. Voters elected nine candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts. To see a full list of candidates in the primary in each district, click "Show more" below.
Show more

District 1

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 3

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 4

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 5

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 6

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 7

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 8

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 9

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

State elections

State Senate

See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2022
The Tennessee State Senate was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2020, 86 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state Senate candidates in the Democratic primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Tennessee State Senate elections, 2022

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

Green check mark transparent.pngPatricia Waters

Mark Hall
Green check mark transparent.pngJ. Adam Lowe

Did not make the ballot:
Dennis Beavers 

District 3

Green check mark transparent.pngKate Craig  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngRusty Crowe (i)

District 5

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Did not make the ballot:
Hannah Parton 

Green check mark transparent.pngRandy McNally (i)
Earle Segrest

District 7

Green check mark transparent.pngBryan Langan  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Briggs (i)
Kent Morrell  Candidate Connection

District 9

Green check mark transparent.pngSara Thompson  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Southerland (i)

District 11

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngBo Watson (i)

District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngKelly Northcutt  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngDawn White (i)

District 15

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Bailey (i)

District 17

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngMark Pody (i)

District 19

Barry Barlow
Jerry Maynard
Green check mark transparent.pngCharlane Oliver  Candidate Connection
Rossi Turner
Ludye Wallace

Did not make the ballot:
Brenda Gilmore (i)
Keeda Haynes 

Green check mark transparent.pngPime Hernandez

District 21

Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Yarbro (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 23

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngKerry Roberts (i)

District 25

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngEd Jackson (i)

District 27

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngJack Johnson (i)
Gary Humble  Candidate Connection

District 29

Green check mark transparent.pngRaumesh Akbari (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 31

Green check mark transparent.pngRuby Powell-Dennis  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngBrent Taylor

Did not make the ballot:
Brandon Toney  Candidate Connection

District 33

Green check mark transparent.pngLondon Lamar (i)
Marion Latroy Alexandria-Williams Jr.
Rhonnie Brewer  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngFrederick Tappan


House of Representatives

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2022
The Tennessee House of Representatives was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2020, 86 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state House candidates in the Democratic primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2022

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Crawford (i)

District 2

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngBud Hulsey (i)

District 3

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngScotty Campbell (i)

District 4

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Holsclaw Jr. (i)

District 5

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Hawk (i)

District 6

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngTim Hicks (i)

District 7

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngRebecca Alexander (i)

District 8

Green check mark transparent.pngDylan Kelley

Green check mark transparent.pngJerome Moon (i)

District 9

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngGary Hicks (i)

District 10

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngRick Eldridge (i)
Donel Shelton

District 11

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngJeremy Faison (i)

District 12

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngDale Carr (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Mariah Bailey  Candidate Connection

District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Crum

Gabriel Fancher
Green check mark transparent.pngRobert Stevens

Did not make the ballot:
Gibran Saliba 

District 14

Green check mark transparent.pngAmanda Collins

Green check mark transparent.pngJason Zachary (i)

District 15

Green check mark transparent.pngSam McKenzie (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngPete Drew

District 16

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngMichele Carringer (i)

District 17

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngAndrew Farmer (i)

District 18

Green check mark transparent.pngGregory Kaplan

Green check mark transparent.pngElaine Davis
Janet Testerman

District 19

Green check mark transparent.pngZeke Streetman  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngDave Wright (i)

District 20

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Robert Ramsey (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngBryan Richey

District 21

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngLowell Russell (i)

District 22

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngDan Howell (i)

District 23

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngMark Cochran (i)

District 24

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Israel David Farless
Green check mark transparent.pngKevin Raper
Rex Wagner
Troy Weathers

District 25

Green check mark transparent.pngAnne Quillen

Green check mark transparent.pngCameron Sexton (i)

District 26

Green check mark transparent.pngAllison Gorman  Candidate Connection
Tim Roberts  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Martin (i)  Candidate Connection

District 27

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngPatsy Hazlewood (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Michele Reneau 

District 28

Green check mark transparent.pngYusuf Hakeem (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 29

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Vital (i)

District 30

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngEsther Helton (i)

District 31

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid L. Brown

Green check mark transparent.pngRon Travis (i)

District 32

Green check mark transparent.pngJan Hahn

Keaton Bowman
Randy Childs
Green check mark transparent.pngMonty Fritts
Donnie Hall
Teresa Pesterfield Kirkham

District 33

James Brewer
Green check mark transparent.pngJim Dodson

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Ragan (i)

District 34

Green check mark transparent.pngLaura Bohling

Green check mark transparent.pngTim Rudd (i)

District 35

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Deanne DeWitt
Joe Kirkpatrick  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam Slater

Did not make the ballot:
Matt Harris 

District 36

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngDennis Powers (i)

District 37

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Levine  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngCharlie Baum (i)

District 38

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngKelly Keisling (i)

District 39

Green check mark transparent.pngBruce Manuel  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngIris Rudder (i)

District 40

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Cook

Terri Lynn Weaver (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Hale

District 41

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngEd Butler
Bradley Hayes
Michael Swisher

District 42

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngRyan Williams (i)

District 43

Green check mark transparent.pngCheryl Womack Uselton

Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Sherrell (i)
Bobby Robinson

District 44

Green check mark transparent.pngKesa Fowler  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam Lamberth (i)

District 45

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngJohnny Garrett (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Jennifer Barton 

District 46

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngClark Boyd (i)

District 47

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngRush Bricken (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Ronnie Holden 

District 48

Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Ferry

Green check mark transparent.pngBryan Terry (i)

District 49

Green check mark transparent.pngMorgan Woodberry

Green check mark transparent.pngMike Sparks (i)

District 50

Green check mark transparent.pngBo Mitchell (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 51

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Beck (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 52

Green check mark transparent.pngJustin Jones
Delishia Porterfield

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 53

Green check mark transparent.pngJason Powell (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngDia Hart
Yog Nepal (Write-in)

District 54

Green check mark transparent.pngVincent Dixie (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 55

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Ray Clemmons (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 56

Green check mark transparent.pngBob Freeman (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 57

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Lynn (i)

District 58

Green check mark transparent.pngHarold Love (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 59

Green check mark transparent.pngCaleb Hemmer  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngMichelle Foreman
Wyatt Rampy  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Yog Nepal 

District 60

Green check mark transparent.pngDarren Jernigan (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngChristopher Huff

Did not make the ballot:
Jim Gotto 

District 61

Green check mark transparent.pngSteven Cervantes  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngGino Bulso
Bob Ravener

District 62

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngPat Marsh (i)

District 63

Green check mark transparent.pngKisha Davis

Laurie Cardoza-Moore  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngJake McCalmon
James Sloan

Did not make the ballot:
A.J. Bahou 

District 64

Green check mark transparent.pngJameson Manor

Green check mark transparent.pngScott Cepicky (i)
Jason Gilliam

District 65

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngSam Whitson (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Erika Carouthers 

District 66

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngSabi Kumar (i)

District 67

Green check mark transparent.pngRonnie Glynn

John Dawson  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngTommy Vallejos

District 68

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngCurtis Johnson (i)

District 69

Green check mark transparent.pngCandie Loreeta Hedge  Candidate Connection
Val Sloan

Green check mark transparent.pngJody Barrett
Jeff Eby
Brian Johnson
Angela Redden  Candidate Connection

District 70

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngClay Doggett (i)

District 71

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Carson II

Green check mark transparent.pngKip Capley
Jason Rich
Mitchell Skelton  Candidate Connection
Bill White

District 72

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngKirk Haston (i)

District 73

Green check mark transparent.pngErica Coleman

Green check mark transparent.pngChris Todd (i)

District 74

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngJay Reedy (i)

District 75

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Did not make the ballot:
Glenda Warren 

Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Burkhart
Kent Griffy
Deanna McLaughlin  Candidate Connection

District 76

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngTandy Darby (i)

District 77

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngRusty Grills (i)

District 78

Green check mark transparent.pngKrystle James  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngMary Littleton (i)

District 79

Green check mark transparent.pngThomas Jefferson

Green check mark transparent.pngBrock Martin
Gordon Wildridge

District 80

Green check mark transparent.pngJohnny Shaw (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 81

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngDebra Moody (i)

District 82

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngChris Hurt (i)

District 83

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngMark White (i)

District 84

Green check mark transparent.pngJoe Towns Jr. (i)
Brandon Price

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 85

Green check mark transparent.pngJesse Chism (i)
Phyllis Parks

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 86

Green check mark transparent.pngBarbara Cooper (i)
Will Richardson

Did not make the ballot:
Dominique Frost 
Brandon Morris 

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 87

Green check mark transparent.pngKaren Camper (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 88

Green check mark transparent.pngLarry Miller (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 89

Green check mark transparent.pngM.D. Dotson

Green check mark transparent.pngJustin Lafferty (i)

District 90

Green check mark transparent.pngGloria Johnson (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Poczobut

Did not make the ballot:
Sherry Ailor 

District 91

Green check mark transparent.pngTorrey Harris (i)
Barbara Farmer-Tolbert  Candidate Connection

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 92

Green check mark transparent.pngAngela Hughes

Green check mark transparent.pngTodd Warner (i)
Matt Fitterer  Candidate Connection
Jeff Ford  Candidate Connection

District 93

Green check mark transparent.pngG.A. Hardaway (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 94

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngRon Gant (i)

District 95

Green check mark transparent.pngPatricia Causey

Did not make the ballot:
Nandi Washington-Murfik 

Green check mark transparent.pngKevin Vaughan (i)

District 96

Green check mark transparent.pngDwayne Thompson (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 97

Green check mark transparent.pngToniko Harris
Houston Wolf  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Gillespie (i)

District 98

Green check mark transparent.pngAntonio Parkinson (i)

No candidates filed for the Republican primary


District 99

No candidates filed for the Democratic primary


Green check mark transparent.pngTom Leatherwood (i)
Lee Mills


State executive offices

See also: Tennessee state executive official elections, 2022

One state executive office was up for election in Tennessee in 2022:

Governor

To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primary, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Governor

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

Primary election competitiveness

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2022

This section contains information about the primary election competitiveness of election in Tennessee. For more information about this data, click here.


U.S. House competitiveness

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Tennessee in 2022. Information below was calculated on July 11, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Thirty-six candidates filed to run 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 5.4 in 2018.

This was the first election to take place under new district lines following the 2020 census. Tennessee was apportioned nine districts, the same number it was apportioned after the 2010 census. The 36 candidates who ran this year were the fewest candidates who filed to run for Tennessee's U.S. House seats since 2012, when 36 candidates ran as well. Forty-five candidates ran in 2020, 49 in 2018, 48 in 2016, and 39 in 2014.

One district — the 5th — was open. That was down from two open seats in 2020, 2018 and 2016. There were no open seats in 2014 or 2012. Rep. Jim Cooper (D), who represented the 5th district, didn't file for re-election. Ten candidates — one Democrat and nine Republicans — ran to replace Cooper, the most candidates who ran for a seat this year.

There were eight contested primaries this year — four Democratic and four Republican. That was the same number as in 2020 and five fewer than in 2018, when there were 13 contested primaries. There were ten contested primaries in 2016, 11 in 2014, and ten in 2012.

Five incumbents — all Republicans — didn't face primary challengers. Republican and Democratic candidates filed to run in all nine districts, so no seats were guaranteed to either party this year.

State executive competitiveness

State legislative competitiveness

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Tennessee in 2022. Information below was calculated on July 31, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Tennessee had 36 contested state legislative primaries in 2022, 16% of the total number of possible primaries, and a 5% decrease from compared to 2020.

This was the lowest number of contested state legislative primaries in Tennessee compared to the preceding four election cycles.

A primary is contested when more candidates file to run than there are nominations available, meaning at least one candidate must lose.

Of the 36 contested primaries, 11 were for Democrats and 25 were for Republicans. For Democrats, this was down from 14 in 2020, a 21% decrease. For Republicans, the number increased 4% from 24 in 2020.

Fifteen contested primaries featured an incumbent, representing 15% of all incumbents who filed for re-election. This was also the lowest rate of incumbents in contested primaries compared to the preceding four election cycles in the state.

Five of the incumbents in contested primaries in 2022 were Democrats and 10 were Republicans.

Overall, 214 major party candidates—79 Democrats and 135 Republicans—filed to run. All 99 House districts and 17 of the state's 33 Senate districts held elections.

Seventeen of those districts were open, meaning no incumbents filed to run. This guaranteed at least 15% of the districts holding elections in 2022 would be represented by newcomers in 2023.

Context of the 2022 elections

Tennessee Party Control: 1992-2024
Five years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D R D D D D D D D D R R S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

State party overview

Democratic Party of Tennessee

See also: Democratic Party of Tennessee

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic state party affiliates.


Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Tennessee utilizes a closed primary process; a voter must either be registered with a political party or must declare his or affiliation with the party at the polls on primary election day in order to vote in that party's primary.[2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

Each county election commission must determine the opening time for polling places in the county at least 15 days before an election, with certain requirements based on county population. All polling places close at 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST). The polls must be open for a minimum of 10 consecutive hours, but not more than 13 hours. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[3][4]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Tennessee, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Tennessee, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election.[5]

Prospective voters can register online, by mailing a voter registration application to the county election commission, or in person at a variety of locations including the county clerk’s office, the county election commission office, public libraries, and numerous state agencies. Registration must be completed 30 days before an election.[5]

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Tennessee does not practice automatic voter registration.[6]

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Tennessee has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Tennessee does not allow same-day voter registration.[7]

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Tennessee, you must be a resident of the state.[5] Click here for more information about determining residency in Tennessee.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Tennessee does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, providing false information on an application "is a felony punishable by not less than two (2) years nor more than twelve (12) years imprisonment or a fine of $5,000 or both."[8]

Tennessee law requires election officials to conduct check of voter registration applicants' citizenship status. Section 2-2-141 of the Tennessee Code states the following:

‘’’2-2-141. Proof of citizenship for registering to vote.’’’ (a) The coordinator of elections shall compare the statewide voter registration database with the department of safety database to ensure non-United States citizens are not registered to vote in this state. The coordinator of elections is authorized to compare the statewide voter registration database with relevant federal and state agencies and county records for the same purpose. If evidence exists that a particular registered voter is not a citizen of the United States, the coordinator of elections shall notify the county election commission where the person registered to vote that the registered voter may not be a citizen of the United States. (b) After receiving such notice, the county election commission shall send a notice to the registered voter inquiring whether the individual is eligible to be registered to vote. Any registered voter who receives the notice shall, within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such notice, provide proof of citizenship to the county election commission.[9]

—Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141[10]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[11] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Tennessee secretary of state’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.


Voter ID requirements

Tennessee requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[12]

Voters can present the following forms of identification, even if expired:[13]

  • Tennessee driver’s license with photo
  • United States passport
  • Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
  • Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government
  • United States Military photo ID
  • Tennessee handgun carry permit with photo

First time voters who register by mail or online can not use an expired ID. If they do not have a currently valid ID, they may use the following to vote at the polls:[13]

  • A copy of a current utility bill
  • Bank statement,
  • Government check,
  • Paycheck
  • Other government document that shows the voter’s name and address.

The following voters are exempt from the photo ID requirements:[13]

  • Voters who vote absentee by mail
  • Voters who are residents of a licensed nursing home or assisted living center and who vote at the facility
  • Voters who are hospitalized
  • Voters with a religious objection to being photographed
  • Voters who are indigent and unable to obtain a photo ID without paying a fee

Voters can obtain a free photo ID from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security at any participating driver service center. In order to receive an ID, a voter must bring proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate) and two proofs of Tennessee residency (such as a voter registration card, a utility bill, vehicle registration or title, or bank statement). Visit the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Voter Photo ID page for more information.[12]

Early voting

Tennessee permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting begins 20 days before an election and ends five days before an election, except for presidential primaries, when early voting closes seven days before the primary. Early voting is held at county election commission offices and satellite voting locations.[14]

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

Only certain voters may vote absentee by-mail in Tennessee. According to the Tennessee secretary of state's office:[15]

You can vote absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:

  • You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
  • You will be outside the county where you are registered during the early voting period and all day on Election Day.
  • You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
  • You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
  • You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.
  • You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.
  • You are a candidate for office in the election.
  • You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day.
  • You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission.
  • You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
  • You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
  • You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
  • You are a member of the military or are an overseas citizen.
  • You are on the permanent absentee list.

NOTE: If you reside in a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, home for the aged, or an independent living facility on the same property as a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, or home for the aged inside your county of residence, you may not vote absentee by-mail. Election officials will come to the facility to vote eligible residents, or you may vote during early voting or on Election Day.[9]

Absentee ballot applications may not be submitted more than 90 days before an election and must be received by the county election commission no later than 10 days before an election. The completed ballot must be returned by mail and received by the county election commission by the close of polls on Election Day.[15]


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 95 Tennessee counties—1 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Hardeman County, Tennessee 7.92% 5.91% 6.18%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Tennessee with 60.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 34.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Tennessee cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Tennessee supported Democratic candidates for president and Republican candidates equally. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Tennessee. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[16][17]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 20 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 50.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 22 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 46.5 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 79 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 77 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 43.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-115," accessed July 16, 2025
  2. LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-115," accessed July 16, 2025
  3. LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-3-201," accessed July 15, 2025
  4. LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-127," accessed July 15, 2025
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed July 15, 2025
  6. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2025
  7. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2025
  8. Tennessee Secretary of State, "Tennessee Mail-In Application For Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2025
  9. 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  10. LexisNexis, “Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141,” accessed July 15, 2025
  11. Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  12. 12.0 12.1 Tennessee Secretary of State, "What ID is required when voting?" accessed July 16, 2025
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Guide on ID Requirements when voting," accessed July 16, 2025
  14. Tennessee Secretary of State, "How to Early Vote - In Person," accessed July 16, 2025
  15. 15.0 15.1 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Guide to Absentee Voting," accessed July 15, 2025
  16. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  17. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017