Bill > SB0123

This bill changes Tennessee's voting regulations by requiring voters to declare a political party affiliation before participating in primary elections. Specifically, qualified voters who have not previously declared a party affiliation must choose a statewide political party or recognized minor party at their first primary election, with the county election commission recording this information on their permanent registration record. Voters already affiliated with a party can only change their affiliation more than 30 days before a primary election. By August 2026, any new or existing registered voters who have not declared a party affiliation will be automatically classified as independent voters. The bill also modifies voting eligibility rules so that voters can only participate in a primary election if they are registered with that political party or are declaring their first party affiliation during that election. These changes aim to more formally structure party affiliations and primary election participation in Tennessee, ensuring that voters have a clear political party designation before casting primary ballots.

Government Affairs

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0123&ga=114