Bill To Make Tennessee’s Local Elections Partisan Stalled By Senate Standing Committee
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Legislation that would have caused all local and state elections to become partisan by requiring candidates to declare a specific political platform when running for public office, has been stalled out of consideration by the Senate State and Local Government Committee.
On Tuesday, Senate Bill 0405 (SB0405) sponsored by Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28), was “General Subbed” which means Tennessee lawmakers have no intention of proceeding with the legislation during this term.
Corresponding House Bill 0262 (HB0262) was sponsored by Rep. Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) and has now officially been taken off notice for House committee calendars.
Currently, candidates running for public office in Tennessee’s local and state elections do not necessarily have to declare a party platform in order to do so.
If SB0405 and HB0262 had been passed, Tennessee Code would have been amended to require that all elections across the state be partisan, which would have allowed political parties to nominate candidates in local elections.
This would certainly seem to be an adjustment for local city councils, such as the Metro Nashville council, where candidates are not associated with a specific political platform.
Even though adjustments and changes like these tend to make some people uncomfortable, the end result of something like this would seem to promote more transparency for voters regarding candidate platforms.
Under this legislation, Tennessee judges would have also been required to declare a bona fide membership with a political party or independent status, at least a month prior to an election or retention vote for those on the supreme court, court of appeals, or court of criminal appeals.
While a bill like this can resurface after being “General Subbed,” it remains highly unlikely. SB0405/HB0262 looks to be dead in the water as far as this year’s legislative session is concerned.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
It’s hilarious both RINOs and MARXISTs are scaredy cats!
This is a good idea. The Libs pretend to be “non-partisan” to get elected.
The Committees have FAR too much power to much power – there should be a way to overrule them and go to a vote. I think RINO’s get on the key committees so they can stop changes like this one.
Yup, TN’s got a BIG “death by committee” problem.
Twisted old Randy McNally is LARGELY responsible.
Keeping this bill from moving along in the process is just another way” LibTards” and “Antifa” are able to further corrupt Tennessee elections. Do Republicans and Conservatives really want to allow the Communists brought in from NYC, LA, Atlanta, Detroit etc. be allowed to determine who OUR candidates will be? Declaring who you are is just common sense. Passing SB 0405 will help insure the 2024 election process runs a little smoother.
This would have been a terrible bill for Republicans in Shelby and Davidson County. Currently, judges in Shelby County run as nonpartisan. Every Democrat that ran for countywide office in Shelby County last August won. Not a single Republican. There are, however, Republican judges who ran and won as nonpartisan. In Memphis, there are Republicans on the City Council. Not many, but they are there. If this bill would have passed, it would have been catastrophic for situations like this.
You have to realize that not everyone lives in a red county in this state.