Tennessee senator proposes local election move to state, federal date

A Tennessee Republican senator is proposing a constitutional amendment to shift local election dates to match federal elections.

Sen. Ferrell Haile of Gallatin is sponsoring Senate Joint Resolution 5151, which would place local government elections on the same day as federal and state ones in an effort to save money and increase voter participation, according to the resolution. House Majority Leader William Lamberth is sponsoring the House version with HJR729.

“The way it is now it just confuses folks terribly,” Haile said. He added that people often say they just voted and don’t understand why they’re going back to the polls a month or two later.

Primaries would be held in August and general elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Haile said meshing local, state and federal elections could solve voter apathy, as well.

For instance, in his Senate District 18 primary for the seat representing Sumner and Trousdale counties, the primary between him and Chris Spencer brought out only 14.5% of voters. The election between Spencer, a former Hendersonville alderman and co-founder of the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans, and Haile created significant conversation but failed to draw large numbers of voters to the polls in August 2024.

The Tennessee League of Women Voters isn’t taking a position on the matter until it studies the measure. 

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, whose office oversees elections, said he is “agnostic” on the legislation.

The historical argument against combining local and federal elections has been that races for seats such as county commission and sheriff would get lost in the hoopla surrounding congressional and presidential races. Haile, though, said he hopes moving the election dates would put more focus on local races.

Another criticism is that candidates for local seats would be forced to spend more money to send their message to voters.

The constitutional amendment would have to be approved in this session of the General Assembly and again within the next two years in another legislative session. Then it would go on the ballot for voters to decide and would have to receive a majority vote of those who participate in the gubernatorial election.

In addition, state Rep. Scott Cepicky of Culleoka is sponsoring HB1497, which would make all municipal elections partisan affairs, including those with metropolitan forms of government. Sen. Joey Hensley of Hohenwald is sponsoring the Senate version of the bill.

Tennessee has only three counties with metro forms of government, Davidson, Trousdale and Moore.