Opinion ID: 2814151
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Tennessee’s Current Ballot-Access Laws

Text: Under Tennessee’s current system, political parties can obtain ballot access either as a statewide political party or a recognized minor party. “Statewide political party” is defined as a political party at least one (1) of whose candidates for an office to be elected by voters of the entire state in the past four (4) calendar years has received a number of votes equal to at least five percent (5%) of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election of governor. Tenn. Code. Ann. § 2-1-104(a)(30) (2014). Once a party qualifies as a statewide political party, it is automatically placed on the ballot each succeeding year for four years. Id. For a minor party to be placed on the ballot, it must qualify as a recognized minor party by obtaining the signatures of registered voters equal to or greater than 2.5% of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the last gubernatorial election. Id. § 2-1-104(a)(23) (“the ballot-access statute”). Additionally, “no political party may have nominees on a ballot or exercise any of the rights of political parties . . . until its officers have filed on its behalf with the secretary of state and with the coordinator of elections” an affidavit under oath stating that it does not advocate the overthrow of the government by force or violence and is not affiliated with any organization that advocates such a policy. Id. § 2-1-114 (2014). To maintain its status as a recognized minor party, at least one of the recognized minor party’s candidates for statewide office must receive votes totaling at least 5% of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the last gubernatorial election. Id. § 2-13-107(f) (2014) (“the ballot-retention statute”). If none of the minor party’s candidates meets that threshold, it has to re-qualify as a recognized minor party to regain access to the ballot. Id.