Democratic Party primaries in Tennessee, 2018

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Democratic Party primaries, 2018
Tennessee Democratic Party.png
Primary Date
August 2, 2018
Federal elections
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
Democratic primaries for U.S. House
State elections
Democratic primaries for Tennessee legislature
Democratic primary for governor
State party
Democratic Party of Tennessee
State political party revenue

Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.

Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[3][4]

Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[5] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[6][7][8]

Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[9]

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Tennessee on August 2, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.

Federal elections

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in Tennessee (August 2, 2018 Democratic primary)
Former Gov. Phil Bredesen announced that he was considering a Senate run on October 16, 2017. He was the last Democrat to win statewide office, having been re-elected to his second term by a margin of 39 points in 2006.[10]

Because the Senate race fell on the same day as the governor's race, Democrats considered conditions for the election to be more favorable than the typically red state would normally provide. "This is a political earthquake. Having two open, statewide races is a rare occurrence in Tennessee. The opportunity for Democrats is to field common-sense, inspiring leaders who can unite the state and move us forward," said Lisa Quigley, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.).[11]

To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primary, click "Show more" below.
Show more
Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Tennessee (August 2, 2018 Democratic primaries)
The 2018 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Tennessee took place on November 6, 2018. Voters elected nine candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts. To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

District 1

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


District 2

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 3

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 4

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 5

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 6

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 7

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 8

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 9

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

State elections

Tennessee Party Control: 1992-2024
Five years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D R D D D D D D D D R R S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Gubernatorial election

See also: Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 2 Democratic primary)
See also: Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 2 Democratic primary)

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

State legislative elections

Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Tennessee state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.

To determine the Tennessee state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:

  1. Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
  2. One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
  3. The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.



Senate battlegrounds

District 33

What made this a battleground race?

Incumbent Reggie Tate faced a challenge from nurse Katrina Robinson, who argued that Tate voted too often with Republicans and that she was the true Democrat in the race. State Sen. Sara Kyle (D) and Sentate Minority Leader Lee Harris (D) endorsed Robinson. State Rep. Judd Matheny (R) endorsed Tate.[12]

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 33

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Katrina Robinson
Katrina Robinson
 
68.7
 
14,164
Image of Reginald Tate
Reginald Tate
 
31.3
 
6,464

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 20,628
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of Tennessee
Tennessee Democratic Party.png


State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Tennessee's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.

Democratic Party of Tennessee revenue, 2011 to 2016[13][14]
Year Federal account State account(s) Total
2011 $619,472.11 $251,753.75 $871,225.86
2012 $1,417,635.16 $1,398,325.31 $2,815,960.47
2013 $551,315.47 $238,261.27 $789,576.74
2014 $702,260.62 $654,513.77 $1,356,774.39
2015 $633,828.08 $264,655.82 $898,483.90
2016 $4,050,473.88 $665,975.87 $4,716,449.75

Tennessee compared to other states

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:

Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016

Primary election scheduling

Tennessee was the only state to hold a primary election on August 2, 2018.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Tennessee utilizes an open primary process; a voter must either be registered with a political party or must declare his or affiliation with the party at the polls on primary election day in order to vote in that party's primary.[15][16]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

Each county election commission must determine the opening time for polling places in the county at least 15 days before an election, with certain requirements based on county population. All polling places close at 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST). The polls must be open for a minimum of 10 consecutive hours, but not more than 13 hours. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[17][18][19]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Tennessee, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Tennessee, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election.[20]

Prospective voters can register online, by mailing a voter registration application to the county election commission, or in person at a variety of locations including the county clerk’s office, the county election commission office, public libraries, and numerous state agencies. Registration must be completed 30 days before an election.[20]

Automatic registration

Tennessee does not practice automatic voter registration.[21]

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Tennessee has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Tennessee does not allow same-day voter registration.[21]

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Tennessee, you must be a resident of the state.[20]

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Tennessee does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, providing false information on an application "is a felony punishable by not less than two (2) years nor more than twelve (12) years imprisonment or a fine of $5,000 or both."[22]

Tennessee law requires election officials to conduct check of voter registration applicants' citizenship status. Section 2-2-141 of the Tennessee Code states the following:

“

‘’’2-2-141. Proof of citizenship for registering to vote.’’’ (a) The coordinator of elections shall compare the statewide voter registration database with the department of safety database to ensure non-United States citizens are not registered to vote in this state. The coordinator of elections is authorized to compare the statewide voter registration database with relevant federal and state agencies and county records for the same purpose. If evidence exists that a particular registered voter is not a citizen of the United States, the coordinator of elections shall notify the county election commission where the person registered to vote that the registered voter may not be a citizen of the United States. (b) After receiving such notice, the county election commission shall send a notice to the registered voter inquiring whether the individual is eligible to be registered to vote. Any registered voter who receives the notice shall, within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such notice, provide proof of citizenship to the county election commission.[23]

”
—Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141[24]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[25] As of November 2024, five states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Tennessee secretary of state’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.


Voter ID requirements

Tennessee requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[26]

Voters can present the following forms of identification:

  • Tennessee driver’s license with photo
  • United States passport
  • Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
  • Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government
  • United States Military photo ID
  • Tennessee handgun carry permit with photo

The following voters are exempt from the photo ID requirements:

  • Voters who vote absentee by mail
  • Voters who are residents of a licensed nursing home or assisted living center and who vote at the facility
  • Voters who are hospitalized
  • Voters with a religious objection to being photographed
  • Voters who are indigent and unable to obtain a photo ID without paying a fee

Voters can obtain a free photo ID from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security at any participating driver service center. In order to receive an ID, a voter must bring proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate) and two proofs of Tennessee residency (such as a voter registration card, a utility bill, vehicle registration or title, or bank statement). Visit the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Voter Photo ID page for more information.[26]

Early voting

Tennessee permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting begins 20 days before an election and ends five days before an election, except for presidential primaries, when early voting closes seven days before the primary. Early voting is held at county election commission offices and satellite voting locations.[27]

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

According to the Tennessee secretary of state's office:[28]

“

You can vote absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:

  • You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
  • You will be outside the county where you are registered during the early voting period and all day on Election Day.
  • You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
  • You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
  • You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.
  • You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.
  • You are a candidate for office in the election.
  • You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day.
  • You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission.
  • You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
  • You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
  • You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
  • You are a member of the military or are an overseas citizen.
  • You are on the permanent absentee list.

NOTE: If you reside in a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, home for the aged, or an independent living facility on the same property as a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, or home for the aged inside your county of residence, you may not vote absentee by-mail. Election officials will come to the facility to vote eligible residents, or you may vote during early voting or on Election Day.[23]

”

Absentee ballot applications may not be submitted more than 90 days before an election and must be received by the county election commission no later than 10 days before an election. The completed ballot must be returned by mail and received by the county election commission by the close of polls on Election Day.[28][29]


See also

Federal primaries in Tennessee State primaries in Tennessee Tennessee state party apparatus Tennessee voter information
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Flag of Tennessee.png
Seal of Tennessee.png
Election Policy Logo.png

Footnotes

  1. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
  2. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
  3. ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
  4. ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
  5. ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
  6. ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
  7. ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
  8. ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
  9. ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
  10. ↑ Associated Press, "Democrat Bredesen confirms interest in Tennessee Senate race," October 16, 2017
  11. ↑ The Tennessean, "Tennessee Democrats recalculate U.S. Senate race with Corker out," October 9, 2017
  12. ↑ WREG, "A look at key primary legislative races in Tennessee," July 30, 2018
  13. ↑ TN Online Campaign Finance, "Search the Online Campaign Finance Database," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Tennessee Legislative Campaign Committee and Tennessee Democratic Party)
  14. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Tennessee Republican Party Federal Election Account and Tennessee Democratic Party)
  15. ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 4, 2024
  16. ↑ Lexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-115," accessed October 4, 2024
  17. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-3-201", accessed August 15, 2024
  18. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-127," accessed August 15, 2024
  19. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Everything You Need to Know to #GoVoteTN Tuesday," accessed August 15, 2024
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed May 3, 2023
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 13, 2024
  22. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Tennessee Mail-In Application For Voter Registration," accessed November 15, 2024
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  24. ↑ LexisNexis, “Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141,” accessed November 14, 2024
  25. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Tennesse Secretary of State, "What ID is required when voting?" accessed May 3, 2023 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "tvid" defined multiple times with different content
  27. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "How to Early Vote - In Person," accessed August 15, 2024
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Guide to Absentee Voting," accessed August 15, 2024
  29. ↑ Casetext, "Tenn. Code § 2-6-201," accessed November 12, 2024
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