Tennessee state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

Elections in Tennessee, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
• Early voting: Oct. 17 - Nov. 1
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: Photo ID required
• Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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2018 Tennessee General Assembly elections
General	November 6, 2018
Primary	August 2, 2018

2018 elections
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Nurse Katrina Robinson's defeat of state Sen. Reggie Tate headlined the August 2 Democratic state legislative primaries.

Two of Tate's four Democratic Senate colleagues—Sen. Sara Kyle and Minority Leader Lee Harris—endorsed Robinson, saying Tate voted with Republicans too often. Because of this, Robinson argued she was the true Democrat in the race. Tate said he voted with Republicans to maintain benefits for his constituents.

The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Tennessee State Senate and the Tennessee House of Representatives were on August 2, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Tennessee, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was April 5, 2018. In the state Senate, 17 of 33 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 99 seats were up for election.

As of August 2018, Tennessee was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring incumbents

Two Democratic state Senate incumbents did not seek re-election.

• Thelma Harper (District 19)
• Lee Harris (District 29)

Seven Democratic state House incumbents did not seek re-election.

• JoAnne Favors (District 28)
• Brenda Gilmore (District 54)
• Sherry Jones (District 59)
• Joe Pitts (District 67)
• Craig Fitzhugh (District 82)
• Johnnie Turner (District 85)
• Raumesh Akbari (District 91)

Incumbents defeated

One Democratic state Senate incumbent was defeated.

• Reginald Tate (District 33)

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Tennessee state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

The number of candidates running in 2018 increased to 305 from 278 in 2016 and 221 in 2014. There were 30 contested Democratic primaries in 2018 compared to nine in 2016 and ten in 2014.

Year	Total seats	Open seats	Total candidates	Democratic primaries contested	Republican primaries contested	Total contested	Incumbents contested in primaries	Total incumbents contested in primaries
2018	117	26	305	30	37	28.6%	27	29.7%
2016	115	7	278	9	34	18.7%	34	31.5%
2014	117	13	221	10	34	21.9%	24	23.1%

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Tennessee State Senate as of August 28:

Tennessee House of Representatives

Party		As of August 2018
	Democratic Party	25
	Republican Party	73
	Vacancies	1
Total		99

Tennessee State Senate

Party		As of August 2018
	Democratic Party	5
	Republican Party	28
	Vacancies	1
Total		33

Battleground races

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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 33

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

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,628
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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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.

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.

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.

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.

Automatic registration

Tennessee does not practice automatic voter registration.

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.

Residency requirements

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

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."

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.	”
—Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-141

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. 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.

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.

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.

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:

“

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.

”

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.

See also

• Tennessee state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
• Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2018
• Tennessee State Senate elections, 2018
• Tennessee State Legislature
• Tennessee elections, 2018