Tennessee Require One Year County Residency for District and Circuit Judges Amendment (2030)
| Tennessee Require One Year County Residency for District and Circuit Judges Amendment | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic State judicial selection |
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| Status Proposed |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
The Tennessee Require One Year County Residency for District and Circuit Judges Amendment may be on the ballot in Tennessee as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2030.
The constitutional amendment would amend the residency requirements for circuit and district court judges to require that they reside in a county to which their office is assigned for at least one year before their election.[1]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the measure can be read here.
Path to the ballot
Amending the Tennessee Constitution
- See also: Amending the Tennessee Constitution
In Tennessee, the state Legislature must pass a constitutional amendment during two successive legislative sessions with an election in between. During the first legislative session, a simple majority vote is required in both legislative chambers. During the second legislative session, a two-thirds vote is required in both legislative chambers. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. In Tennessee, amendments must be placed on general election ballots in which there is also a gubernatorial election.
The required legislative votes per session, assuming no vacancies, are listed below:
| Session | Requirement | Senate | House |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Simple majority vote | 17 | 50 |
| Second | Two-thirds vote | 22 | 66 |
Senate Joint Resolution 618 (2026)
The following is the timeline of the amendment in the state legislature:[2]
- January 22, 2026: State Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-10) introduced the amendment to the state Senate as Senate Joint Resolution 618 (SJR 618).
- March 19, 2026: The state Senate approved the amendment in a vote of 29-0. Twenty-seven Republicans and two Democrats voted yes. Three Democrats did not vote.
| Votes Required to Pass: 17 | |||
| Yes | No | NV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 29 | 0 | 3 |
| Total % | 90.6% | 0.0% | 9.4% |
| Democratic (D) | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Republican (R) | 27 | 0 | 0 |
External links
See also
View other measures certified for the 2030 ballot across the U.S. and in Tennessee.
Explore Tennessee's ballot measure history, including constitutional amendments.
Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.
Footnotes
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