Knoxville Passes New Election Processes For City Council

Image Credit: Knox County Election Commission / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

Knoxville residents recently voted against a proposal that would change how they elect city council members, meaning that six of the nine council members will now be chosen only by voters in the districts where the candidates live.

This change came in 2023 when state lawmakers passed legislation that prohibited the city’s previous system, where all voters in the city could select the winners for all six district council seats in the general election. 

Tuesday’s referendum allowed voters to decide whether to keep the citywide voting system for all nine council seats.

They opted not to, with 51% of voters rejecting the proposal. Each district will have its own primary and general elections, with only local residents able to vote in those contests. The city’s three at-large seats, which do not require candidates to reside in a district, will continue to be elected by all city voters.

“I think that the people of the city of Knoxville have recognized that district representation matters. And I think that’s a good thing. I think that’s what most cities, most representative democracies across the country do. This is a good day for Knoxville,” stated Hancen Sale, former government affairs director for East Tennessee Realtors.

The City Council Movement had argued that allowing all city voters to decide the representation for minority communities could disenfranchise those voters.

“Knoxville wins because we had the opportunity to decide how our elections will work going forward. That’s the essence of Amendment 2 − empowering voters to make their own choice rather than simply accepting a decision made in Nashville,” said Councilmember Andrew Roberto on election night. 

City voters also supported another referendum that will align the election year for the Fifth District with the other five districts.