Green Party Of Middle Tennessee

     Meeting in Nashville, the state capital, and serving all of Middle Tennessee.

Elections


MIDDLE TENNESSEE ELECTION CALENDAR


  Independent and Green candidates may pick up nominating petitions now for the August local partisan election for county executive offices including Sheriff, Juvenile Court Clerk, Public Defender, and more. The filing deadline for these candidates is February 16, 2010. For more information, go to http://www.nashville.gov/vote/ or http://www.state.tn.us/sos/

Green Party of Middle Tennessee voting guide for 2007 Metro elections.(Archive)

VOTER REGISTRATION


To vote in the state of Tennessee, you must be registered to vote.  You are eligible to register if you meet the following criteria:
United State Citizen
18 years old or older
Resident of Tennessee
Not legally disqualified
You may learn more about voter registration and download a voter registration application at the Secretary of State's web site (http://www.state.tn.us/sos/election/outlines.htm).  Remember that you have to print and mail the form to the correct county election commission in order for your application to be processed.   The Secretary of State's web page includes specific information for people in unusual circumstances, such as the homeless and previously convicted felons who wish to have their voting rights restored. You must register at least 30 days before the election in which you wish to vote.  You will know that your registration has been processed when you receive your voter registration card in the mail.  

Your voter registration card includes the following information:
Voting location
City Council District
School District
State House District
State Senate District
US Congress District

VOTING RIGHTS


Recent national elections have increased public awareness of the inability of some citizens to vote and have their votes counted.  The following organizations are working to eliminate unfair and illegal barriers to voting and to make sure that the counting of the votes is fair and verifiable. 
Black Box Voting:  www.blackboxvoting.org
NAACP (national):  http://www.naacp.org/
NAACP (Tennessee): http://www.tnnaacp.org/
Common Cause:  http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=191150
Regulations for the conduct of elections are available at the Secretary of State's web site:  http://www.state.tn.us/sos/rules/1360/1360-02/1360-02.htm.   Tennessee's plan for election reform can be viewed at http://www.state.tn.us/sos/election/hava/hava-plan.htm.  Davidson county residents can get information on how to help run and monitor elections at the Metro web site:  http://www.nashville.gov/vote/poll_official.htm.

BALLOT ACCESS


  Every state sets its own rules for what candidates have to do to get on the ballot.  Some races are non-partisan, meaning that the state does not list party affiliations on the ballot or take party affiliation into consideration when determining ballot access for a particular candidate.  Examples of non-partisan offices include school board and city council. 

In partisan races the state lists party affiliation for recognized parties next to the candidate's name.  In Tennessee, only the Democratic and Republican parties are recognized.  Other parties, such as the Greens and the Libertarians, do not receive such recognition.  All other candidates are listed as "Independent,"  regardless of whether they are truly independent or running on the ticket of an alternative party.     Once a party gets enough signatures of registered voters to add up to 2.5% of the vote in the last governor's race,  Tennessee legally recognizes that party and grants them party identification on the ballot.  In order to maintain ballot access, the party must run a candidate and receive enough votes to add up to 5% of the number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial race.  (Note that the percentage of the vote may be slightly higher or lower in races other than the governor's race, as the target number is taken from the most recent gubernatorial race.) 

NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY ELECTIONS


Local government is where most people see the greatest immediate impact on their lives.  The largest local government in Middle Tennessee is the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.  Elected offices include city council seats (district and at large), mayor, vice mayor, school board, and register of deeds.  Voters in Nashville and Davidson county also vote on local referendums.  Registered voters may apply for positions as poll workers at http://www.nashville.gov/vote/poll_official.htm.  To find your city council district go to http://www.nashville.org/public_info/coun_districts.html .

ELECTIONS TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE


  State House elections are held in even numbered years. House members serve two-year terms with no term limits. To find your state House District, click on http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/House/Map/Hstate.htm

State Senate elections are held in even numbered years. Senate terms are four years and staggered, so that only half of the Senate seats are up for election at any one time. To find your state Senate District, click on http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/Senate/Map/Sstate.htm. 

JUDICIAL AND OTHER ELECTIONS


Citizens of Tennessee also elect judges:  state supreme court judges, state court of appeals judges, court of criminal appeals judges, circuit court judges, criminal court judges, general sessions/juvenile court judges.

A number of other offices are open for election at the state-wide, county, or municiple levels.  These will vary somewhat depending on the locality but could include Chancellor, District Attorney General, District Public Defender, county executive, county commissioner, sheriff, trustee, register of deeds, circuit court clerk, county clerk, assessor of property, county road superintendent, constable.  For more about these offices and the qualifications to hold them go to http://www.state.tn.us/sos/election/qualify/qu-overview.pdf.

The Democratic and Republican parties are officially recognized by the state of Tennessee (the Green Party is not, but will be once we receive enough votes in a state-wide race).  Registered Democrats and Republicans vote for members of the State Executive Committee in their respective parties. 

US CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS


The state of Tennessee elects nine representatives to the United States House of Representatives.  Elections occur in even-numbered years.  To find your congressional district go to
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/info/CongMaps/Cstate.htm. 

STATEWIDE RACES


The governor of Tennessee is elected for four-year terms; governors can run for a second term.  Phil Bredesen was re-elected in 2006.  The governor's seat will be open in 2010, when Bredesen will have completed his maximum of two terms.

Tennessee elects two senators to the United States Senate for staggered six year terms.  Senator Lamar Alexander was elected in 2002 and will be eligible to run for reelection in 2008.  Senator Bob Corker was elected in 2000 and will be up for reelection in 2012.

MORE


To learn more about elected offices in Tennessee and the nation, go to the Green Papers (not affiliated with the Green Party) at:
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G05/TN.phtml
and to the website of the Tennessee Secretary of State
http://www.state.tn.us/sos/.