A move is afoot for a constitutional amendment shifting Tennessee’s judicial and county elections to November from August, a situation that some fear is an effort to further consolidate power and could confuse voters.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, is sponsoring the resolution that would change the state’s constitution and shift elections for judicial and civil officers from the first Thursday in August to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Such a change would combine those elections for judges and county officials with the usual slate of elections for state and federal offices.
Lamberth said his constitutional amendment resolution isn’t designed to elect more Republicans. Legislation also could be filed this session requiring local government candidates to run partisan races, and a bill is already filed requiring closed primaries.
“I would hope more Republicans, Democrats and independents would vote. We want more folks voting period. Higher turnout, higher participation always leads to … better elected officials across the board,” Lamberth said after the House adjourned this past week. “The more people that vote, the better the folks that are elected are going to reflect the will of the people.”