Election Laws

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties, leaving this information uncertain.

Election Petition Rules

This bill requires that candidate names on nominating petitions and ballots match their voter registration records exactly.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the wording on nominating petitions to require candidates to print their name as it appears in their voter registration record.
• Adds a new rule stating that a candidate's ballot name must exactly match their voter registration name, without nicknames or abbreviations.

Who It Names or Affects

• Candidates running for office in Tennessee
• Election coordinators who manage voting records

Terms To Know

nominating petition

A document a person signs to run for an elected position.

voter registration record

The official file that shows if someone is registered to vote and how they are listed in the voter database.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if a candidate's name on their petition does not match their voter registration.
• It is unclear how this bill will be enforced or what penalties might apply for non-compliance.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 943
By Mitchell

SENATE BILL 630
By Campbell

SB0630
001979
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
relative to nominating petitions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-5-102(a), is amended by deleting
the following language:
I hereby direct that my name appear on the official ballot as follows:
PRINT NAME
and substituting instead:
I hereby direct that my name appear on the official ballot as follows:
PRINT NAME AS IT APPEARS ON VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-5-102, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The candidate's name that will be shown on the ballot must match the
candidate's name as it appears on the candidate's voter registration record. Nicknames,
abbreviations, and variations in spelling are not authorized. The coordinator of elections
shall provide guidelines and examples to potential candidates to aid in compliance with
this subsection (c).
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.