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Laws governing ballot measures in Tennessee
From Ballotpedia
This page provides an overview of resources addressing the laws and procedures that govern statewide and local ballot measures in Tennessee, including constitutional amendments, recall procedures, and campaign finance regulations.
Explore the links below for more information:
- Types of ballot measures in Tennessee
- Amending the Tennessee Constitution
- Laws governing local ballot measures in Tennessee
- Laws governing recall in Tennessee
- Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Tennessee
- Campaign finance requirements for Tennessee ballot measures
- Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Tennessee
Laws governing ballot measures in Tennessee
Types of ballot measures in Tennessee
- Citizens in Tennessee do not have the ability to initiate ballot measures.
- In Tennessee, the legislature can refer constitutional amendments and constitutional convention questions to the ballot.
Amending the Tennessee Constitution
- Tennessee became a state in 1796. The current state constitution was ratified in 1870.
- The Tennessee Constitution can be amended in two ways:
- Legislatively referred constitutional amendment: The state legislature can place constitutional amendments in two successive joint legislative sessions; during the first legislative session, a simple majority vote is required in both legislative chambers and during the second legislative session, a two-thirds vote is required.
- Convention-referred constitutional amendment: A state constitutional convention can vote to refer constitutional changes to the ballot.
Laws governing local ballot measures in Tennessee
- Article XI, Section 9 of the Tennessee Constitution states that home rule charters may be amended by ordinance.
- Tennessee Code § 2-5-151 sets the minimum requirements for the use of the initiative process in cities where it is authorized.[1]
Laws governing recall in Tennessee
- Tennessee allows for the recall of some local officials but does not allow for the recall of state officials.
- Tennessee Law allows for the recall of any "governmental entity having a charter provision for a petition for recall," with exceptions for counties with metropolitan governments and a population greater than 100,000.[2]
Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Tennessee
- According to Section 3 of Article XI of the Tennessee Constitution, the state legislature can vote to refer a constitutional convention question to voters. A simple majority vote is required in the legislature.
Campaign finance requirements for Tennessee ballot measures
- PACs that support or oppose ballot measures in Tennessee must register and report campaign finance.
- Tennessee does not have a contribution limit for single-measure political campaign committees.
Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Tennessee
2025
2024
2023
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2021
2020
2019
2018
- House Bill 888: State Rep. Chris Todd (R-73) sponsored the legislation. The bill prohibits political campaign committees, that were created to support or oppose a ballot measure, from receiving contributions from foreign nationals. It prohibits any foreign national from directing the decision process of other individuals concerning supporting or opposing ballot measures. The bill also requires political campaign committees that support or oppose ballot measures to obtain an affirmation from all donors that the donor is neither a foreign national nor have they received more than $100,000 from a foreign national in the past four years.[3]
| HB 888 Vote | Senate | House | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | NV | Yes | No | NV | |
| Total | 28 | 1 | 2 | 75 | 15 | 0 |
| Democratic (D) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 0 |
| Republican (R) | 27 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
- Senate Bill 525: State Sen. Paul Rose (R-32) sponsored the legislation. The bill required a three-judge panel to hear any civil action when a proposed charter amendment ordinance is alleged to violate the constitution or state law; prohibits an amendment to the charter of a home rule municipality from being placed on any ballot if the amendment is in violation of the constitution or state law.[4]
| SB 525 Vote | Senate | House | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | NV | Yes | No | NV | |
| Total | 25 | 5 | 0 | 73 | 21 | 0 |
| Democratic (D) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Republican (R) | 25 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 0 |
- Senate Bill 626: State Sen. Richard Briggs (R-7) sponsored the legislation. The legislation allowed county election commissions to notify sponsors of a recall, referendum, or initiative petition of a defect in the petition and allow it to be cured prior to certification.[5]
| SB 626 Vote | Senate | House | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | NV | Yes | No | NV | |
| Total | 22 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 22 | 0 |
| Democratic (D) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Republican (R) | 22 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 0 |
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Tennessee Code, "§ 2-5-151," accessed September 30, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Code Ann. "§ 2-5-151," accessed August 20, 2021
- ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "HB 888," accessed May 22, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "SB 525," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "SB 626," accessed May 9, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "Senate Bill 557," accessed June 27, 2023
