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SB0777 • 2026

Election Laws

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

Children Elections
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Lowe, Todd
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims about updating Tennessee's laws in Title 2 of the state code and changing how long candidates have to remove signs after an election. These were narrowed down based on the official bill text.

Changing Sign Removal Time After Elections

This bill changes the time limit for removing campaign signs from three weeks to two weeks after an election.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the time limit for removing campaign signs, posters, or placards advocating candidacy from not exceeding three weeks to not exceeding two weeks after the election.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Candidates and their teams who put up signs during campaigns
  • Local governments responsible for enforcing sign removal rules

Terms To Know

Tennessee Code Annotated
The official collection of laws in Tennessee, organized by subject.
Subsection (a)
A part of a law that deals with specific details within the main section.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if signs are not removed on time.
  • The bill does not change any other rules about election campaigns or voting.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0886

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for voter registration in Tennessee, including options to register with a political party or as unaffiliated and rules for changing party affiliation.

  • Adds an option on voter registration forms for individuals to select their political party affiliation, including statewide parties, recognized minor parties, or being unaffiliated.
  • Specifies that if a voter does not choose a party or chooses one that is not recognized, the county election commission will record them as unaffiliated.
  • Establishes rules for when and how voters can change their party affiliation before primary elections.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on what happens if a voter selects an unrecognized minor party or fails to select any option during registration.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0777

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for voter registration in Tennessee, including a mandatory political party affiliation selection and updates to how unaffiliated voters are handled.

  • Adds a section to require voters to select a political party or remain unaffiliated when registering to vote.
  • Updates the definition of 'primary election' to include rules for voter registration and participation based on declared party affiliations.
  • Specifies that if a voter does not choose a recognized political party, they will be designated as unaffiliated by default.
  • The amendment text is complex and includes multiple sections which may require further explanation to understand fully.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 6, Nays 3 PNV 0

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  9. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  10. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  13. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-01-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  16. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in Senate State and Local Government Committee

  19. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  21. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  22. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  24. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  25. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  26. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  27. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  30. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  32. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  36. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee to 3/11/2025

  37. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/4/2025

  38. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  39. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  40. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  41. 2025-02-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  42. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  43. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  44. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  45. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  46. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  47. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 886
By Todd

SENATE BILL 777
By Lowe

SB0777
002780
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-1-116, is amended by deleting the
language "not to exceed three (3) weeks" in subsection (a) and substituting instead "not to
exceed two (2) weeks".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.