Tennessee local trial court judicial elections, 2020
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- Main articles: State judicial elections, 2020 and Local trial court judicial elections, 2020
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population. This coverage extends to every office on the ballot for residents of these cities, including local trial court judges. In 2020, Ballotpedia covered the following local elections in this state:
- Nashville, Tennessee - Assessor of property, chancery court judgeship, criminal court judgeship, trustee
- Shelby County, Tennessee - General sessions court clerk
If the above list includes local trial court judgeships, click the links for more information about the elections. Click here to learn more about how the judges in this state are selected. Ballotpedia did not cover all local trial court judicial elections in this state in 2020. Please consider donating to Ballotpedia to help us expand our coverage of these elections.
Election rules
Primary elections may be held for trial court judges. The political parties in each county determine whether or not there will be a primary election in their respective counties.[1]
The candidate who wins the county primary election will then move on to the county general election in August and run against other party candidates that won their respective primaries.[2]
Selection requirements by court type
Click [show] on the right of each court type below to read about its selection requirements:
| Circuit Courts |
|---|
| Judges of the circuit court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[3][4]
The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[5] Qualifications
|
| General Sessions Courts |
|---|
Judges of the general sessions court are elected in nonpartisan elections to eight-year terms. Individual towns or cities may establish varying ordinances for the election of their municipal judges—e.g., ordinances that allow for some positions to be elected by popular vote and some to be selected by other methods.[6][7][8][9] Qualifications
|
| Criminal Courts |
|---|
| Judges of the criminal court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[3][11]
The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[12] Qualifications
|
| Chancery Courts |
|---|
| Judges of the chancery court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[3][13]
The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[14] Qualifications
|
Additional elections
- See also: Tennessee elections, 2020
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.[15][16]
| 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. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 26.48% | 71.78% | R+45.3 | 19.62% | 76.53% | R+56.9 | R |
| 2 | 25.47% | 72.94% | R+47.5 | 22.34% | 73.09% | R+50.8 | R |
| 3 | 23.44% | 74.89% | R+51.5 | 15.82% | 81.34% | R+65.5 | R |
| 4 | 24.92% | 73.37% | R+48.5 | 17.60% | 79.09% | R+61.5 | R |
| 5 | 26.22% | 72.04% | R+45.8 | 18.39% | 78.32% | R+59.9 | R |
| 6 | 27.88% | 70.48% | R+42.6 | 24.82% | 70.87% | R+46.1 | R |
| 7 | 32.16% | 65.69% | R+33.5 | 28.10% | 67.14% | R+39 | R |
| 8 | 25.60% | 72.64% | R+47 | 22.13% | 73.51% | R+51.4 | R |
| 9 | 25.47% | 72.83% | R+47.4 | 16.67% | 80.51% | R+63.8 | R |
| 10 | 26.13% | 72.49% | R+46.4 | 19.78% | 76.98% | R+57.2 | R |
| 11 | 24.31% | 73.99% | R+49.7 | 16.57% | 80.41% | R+63.8 | R |
| 12 | 21.96% | 76.64% | R+54.7 | 18.10% | 78.27% | R+60.2 | R |
| 13 | 46.29% | 51.08% | R+4.8 | 46.53% | 46.55% | R+0 | R |
| 14 | 27.16% | 71.40% | R+44.2 | 31.73% | 62.39% | R+30.7 | R |
| 15 | 64.97% | 32.36% | D+32.6 | 63.19% | 30.19% | D+33 | D |
| 16 | 26.02% | 72.27% | R+46.3 | 25.79% | 69.20% | R+43.4 | R |
| 17 | 23.13% | 75.42% | R+52.3 | 17.26% | 79.08% | R+61.8 | R |
| 18 | 37.12% | 60.80% | R+23.7 | 40.01% | 52.84% | R+12.8 | R |
| 19 | 24.61% | 73.61% | R+49 | 20.94% | 74.82% | R+53.9 | R |
| 20 | 26.93% | 71.34% | R+44.4 | 24.49% | 70.69% | R+46.2 | R |
| 21 | 25.45% | 73.18% | R+47.7 | 21.22% | 75.52% | R+54.3 | R |
| 22 | 23.71% | 74.79% | R+51.1 | 16.46% | 80.41% | R+64 | R |
| 23 | 25.15% | 73.42% | R+48.3 | 17.86% | 79.49% | R+61.6 | R |
| 24 | 24.40% | 74.21% | R+49.8 | 21.09% | 74.46% | R+53.4 | R |
| 25 | 26.28% | 72.36% | R+46.1 | 20.11% | 77.28% | R+57.2 | R |
| 26 | 34.03% | 64.08% | R+30.1 | 31.79% | 62.75% | R+31 | R |
| 27 | 34.43% | 63.74% | R+29.3 | 31.70% | 62.61% | R+30.9 | R |
| 28 | 80.31% | 18.45% | D+61.9 | 77.92% | 17.79% | D+60.1 | D |
| 29 | 33.45% | 64.95% | R+31.5 | 29.81% | 65.70% | R+35.9 | R |
| 30 | 37.06% | 61.14% | R+24.1 | 34.33% | 60.41% | R+26.1 | R |
| 31 | 27.30% | 71.02% | R+43.7 | 18.77% | 78.05% | R+59.3 | R |
| 32 | 26.67% | 71.68% | R+45 | 21.60% | 74.28% | R+52.7 | R |
| 33 | 35.25% | 62.79% | R+27.5 | 31.54% | 63.16% | R+31.6 | R |
| 34 | 33.18% | 65.32% | R+32.1 | 31.29% | 63.52% | R+32.2 | R |
| 35 | 23.70% | 74.95% | R+51.3 | 15.89% | 81.43% | R+65.5 | R |
| 36 | 26.89% | 71.70% | R+44.8 | 18.57% | 78.26% | R+59.7 | R |
| 37 | 38.33% | 59.99% | R+21.7 | 36.08% | 58.84% | R+22.8 | R |
| 38 | 24.89% | 73.79% | R+48.9 | 16.00% | 81.84% | R+65.8 | R |
| 39 | 33.22% | 65.17% | R+32 | 24.43% | 72.61% | R+48.2 | R |
| 40 | 31.85% | 66.76% | R+34.9 | 23.97% | 72.67% | R+48.7 | R |
| 41 | 32.24% | 66.34% | R+34.1 | 20.31% | 77.25% | R+56.9 | D |
| 42 | 30.46% | 67.77% | R+37.3 | 25.64% | 70.08% | R+44.4 | R |
| 43 | 35.21% | 62.96% | R+27.8 | 22.37% | 74.65% | R+52.3 | R |
| 44 | 31.04% | 67.73% | R+36.7 | 26.55% | 69.59% | R+43 | R |
| 45 | 26.81% | 71.94% | R+45.1 | 25.43% | 70.33% | R+44.9 | R |
| 46 | 31.50% | 67.04% | R+35.5 | 25.22% | 70.47% | R+45.3 | R |
| 47 | 30.99% | 67.13% | R+36.1 | 23.89% | 72.27% | R+48.4 | R |
| 48 | 36.74% | 61.61% | R+24.9 | 33.92% | 60.93% | R+27 | R |
| 49 | 39.71% | 58.68% | R+19 | 37.26% | 57.65% | R+20.4 | R |
| 50 | 41.70% | 56.68% | R+15 | 44.24% | 50.66% | R+6.4 | D |
| 51 | 66.01% | 31.55% | D+34.5 | 67.37% | 26.85% | D+40.5 | D |
| 52 | 67.26% | 31.18% | D+36.1 | 67.30% | 27.78% | D+39.5 | D |
| 53 | 51.53% | 46.59% | D+4.9 | 54.11% | 38.90% | D+15.2 | D |
| 54 | 83.83% | 15.06% | D+68.8 | 81.44% | 15.31% | D+66.1 | D |
| 55 | 56.64% | 40.99% | D+15.7 | 62.66% | 30.37% | D+32.3 | D |
| 56 | 37.97% | 60.61% | R+22.6 | 47.22% | 46.82% | D+0.4 | R |
| 57 | 27.13% | 71.48% | R+44.4 | 24.99% | 70.38% | R+45.4 | R |
| 58 | 86.45% | 11.94% | D+74.5 | 82.52% | 12.58% | D+69.9 | D |
| 59 | 70.87% | 27.77% | D+43.1 | 70.12% | 26.06% | D+44.1 | D |
| 60 | 42.92% | 55.47% | R+12.6 | 44.82% | 49.40% | R+4.6 | D |
| 61 | 25.02% | 73.85% | R+48.8 | 31.20% | 63.62% | R+32.4 | R |
| 62 | 29.19% | 69.47% | R+40.3 | 22.37% | 74.69% | R+52.3 | R |
| 63 | 24.83% | 73.95% | R+49.1 | 28.09% | 66.72% | R+38.6 | R |
| 64 | 31.94% | 66.63% | R+34.7 | 25.56% | 70.79% | R+45.2 | R |
| 65 | 29.11% | 69.35% | R+40.2 | 29.72% | 64.68% | R+35 | R |
| 66 | 31.53% | 67.11% | R+35.6 | 24.53% | 71.72% | R+47.2 | R |
| 67 | 54.58% | 43.95% | D+10.6 | 47.83% | 45.50% | D+2.3 | D |
| 68 | 35.78% | 62.76% | R+27 | 31.26% | 63.72% | R+32.5 | R |
| 69 | 40.73% | 57.62% | R+16.9 | 29.72% | 66.98% | R+37.3 | R |
| 70 | 31.22% | 67.54% | R+36.3 | 22.18% | 75.41% | R+53.2 | R |
| 71 | 24.67% | 73.66% | R+49 | 15.60% | 81.73% | R+66.1 | R |
| 72 | 27.58% | 70.95% | R+43.4 | 18.81% | 78.70% | R+59.9 | R |
| 73 | 32.43% | 66.66% | R+34.2 | 30.38% | 66.96% | R+36.6 | R |
| 74 | 44.75% | 53.51% | R+8.8 | 32.44% | 62.91% | R+30.5 | R |
| 75 | 35.99% | 62.32% | R+26.3 | 23.49% | 73.77% | R+50.3 | R |
| 76 | 31.38% | 67.25% | R+35.9 | 24.03% | 73.21% | R+49.2 | R |
| 77 | 26.95% | 71.89% | R+44.9 | 19.93% | 77.87% | R+57.9 | R |
| 78 | 31.74% | 66.52% | R+34.8 | 24.60% | 71.32% | R+46.7 | R |
| 79 | 32.57% | 66.24% | R+33.7 | 25.73% | 71.87% | R+46.1 | R |
| 80 | 65.84% | 33.40% | D+32.4 | 59.47% | 38.32% | D+21.2 | D |
| 81 | 29.62% | 69.23% | R+39.6 | 24.73% | 72.28% | R+47.6 | R |
| 82 | 47.11% | 52.21% | R+5.1 | 39.75% | 58.51% | R+18.8 | D |
| 83 | 35.52% | 63.50% | R+28 | 42.62% | 53.17% | R+10.6 | R |
| 84 | 88.19% | 11.41% | D+76.8 | 87.27% | 10.83% | D+76.4 | D |
| 85 | 86.69% | 12.90% | D+73.8 | 86.70% | 11.57% | D+75.1 | D |
| 86 | 76.09% | 23.16% | D+52.9 | 72.98% | 24.31% | D+48.7 | D |
| 87 | 86.77% | 12.68% | D+74.1 | 86.66% | 11.18% | D+75.5 | D |
| 88 | 76.07% | 23.17% | D+52.9 | 75.43% | 21.94% | D+53.5 | D |
| 89 | 29.02% | 69.00% | R+40 | 30.19% | 63.68% | R+33.5 | R |
| 90 | 82.88% | 15.83% | D+67.1 | 82.77% | 13.27% | D+69.5 | D |
| 91 | 89.73% | 9.60% | D+80.1 | 86.97% | 10.77% | D+76.2 | D |
| 92 | 32.45% | 65.92% | R+33.5 | 23.60% | 73.36% | R+49.8 | R |
| 93 | 78.51% | 20.54% | D+58 | 76.41% | 20.35% | D+56.1 | D |
| 94 | 31.77% | 67.08% | R+35.3 | 26.34% | 71.15% | R+44.8 | R |
| 95 | 23.35% | 75.79% | R+52.4 | 28.51% | 67.82% | R+39.3 | R |
| 96 | 43.76% | 55.37% | R+11.6 | 50.57% | 45.95% | D+4.6 | D |
| 97 | 37.56% | 61.31% | R+23.8 | 41.60% | 54.17% | R+12.6 | R |
| 98 | 81.57% | 17.71% | D+63.9 | 80.24% | 17.34% | D+62.9 | D |
| 99 | 28.53% | 70.51% | R+42 | 29.33% | 67.14% | R+37.8 | R |
| Total | 39.08% | 59.48% | R+20.4 | 34.91% | 61.06% | R+26.2 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Local courts | Tennessee | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ Information emailed to Ballotpedia by the director of communications for the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts on March 24 and April 3, 2014.
- ↑ Hamilton County, Tennessee Election Commission, "Differences Between Primary Elections & General Elections," accessed May 4, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," archived September 11, 2014
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," archived September 11, 2014
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "37-1-207 - Special juvenile courts Judges," accessed July 22, 2015
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-18-203 - Term of office," accessed July 22, 2015
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202 - Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," archived September 11, 2014
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee
State courts:
Tennessee Supreme Court • Tennessee Court of Appeals • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals • Tennessee Circuit Court • Tennessee Chancery Courts • Tennessee Criminal Court • Tennessee Probate Court • Tennessee General Sessions Court • Tennessee Juvenile Court • Tennessee Municipal Court
State resources:
Courts in Tennessee • Tennessee judicial elections • Judicial selection in Tennessee
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