Opinion ID: 2814151
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: History of Tennessee Ballot-Access Laws

Text: Before May 23, 2011, Tennessee recognized only one type of political party on the state’s ballot, a “statewide political party,” which was defined in the Tennessee Code as: (A) 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; or (B) For one (1) year after petitioning successfully, a political party which has a membership equal to at least two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election of governor as shown by petitions to establish a political party filed with the coordinator of No. 14-5435 Green Party of Tenn., et al. v. Hargett, et al. Page 3 elections and signed by registered voters as members of the party and certified as to registration of the signers by the county election commissions of the counties where the signers are residents. Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-1-104(a)(30)(A) (2009) & (2010). A statewide political party was automatically entitled to have its candidates identified on the ballot by their party affiliation. Green Party V, 767 F.3d at 543–44. Any new party that wished to be classified as a statewide political party had to gather the signatures of registered voters equal to or greater than 2.5% of the total votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent gubernatorial election. Id. § 2- 1-104(a)(30)(B) (2009); see also Green Party IV, 700 F.3d at 819. In 2011, the Tennessee General Assembly amended the ballot-access statutes to create a new type of political party, a “recognized minor party.” (24) “Recognized minor party” means any group or association that has successfully petitioned by filing with the coordinator of elections a petition which shall conform to requirements established by the coordinator of elections, but which must at a minimum bear the signatures of registered voters equal to at least [2.5%] of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election of governor . . . Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-1-104(a)(24) (2011). In the spring of 2012, Tennessee again amended its ballot-access statutes, requiring recognized minor parties to satisfy the requirements of a statewide political party in order to maintain their status as a recognized minor party beyond the current election year: (f) If a petition filed pursuant to this section is determined to be sufficient by the coordinator of elections . . . , such party shall be recognized as a minor party for all remaining primary and general elections in the current year. To maintain recognition beyond the current election year, a minor party must meet the requirements of a statewide political party as defined in § 2-1-104. A recognized minor party who fails to meet such requirements shall cease to be a recognized minor party. Such party may regain recognition only by following the procedures for formation of a recognized minor party . . . . Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-13-107(f) (2012). No. 14-5435 Green Party of Tenn., et al. v. Hargett, et al. Page 4