Image Credit: TN Republican Party, capitol.tn.gov & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
A bill which would help close Tennessee primary elections by requiring party registration is scheduled to be heard in the House Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee on Tuesday, January 20.
HB1159, sponsored by Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mount Juliet-District 57), would add language on the permanent registration record when a person registers to vote requiring them to select an official political party affiliation.
The bill would allow voters to identify as “Unaffiliated”, and if a voter fails or refused to make a designation, the county election commission will assign unaffiliated status on the registration records. For the purposes of this legislation, “Unaffiliated” is defined as a “voter who is not affiliated with a statewide political party or recognized minor political party and who has no political party preference.”
The corresponding bill in the Senate is carried by Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald- District 28) as SB0831.
Current statutes make it unlawful to vote in a party’s primary when you are not a bonified member of the party and do not intend to affiliate with that party in future, but the law lacks any substantive mechanisms for enforcement.
HB1159/SB0831 could help remedy these discrepancies as it would be obvious when a person goes to vote whether they can legally vote in the primary of the party’s ballot they request.
Both bills were introduced last year, but the House version was deferred to 2026 by the Subcommittee upon request by Rep. Lynn, and the Senate version was never given a calendar date to be heard in the Senate State and Local Government Committee.
The General Assembly has not been friendly toward closed primary bills in the past, especially as some members have admitted illegal crossover votes keep them in office, but conservative support on the topic remains strong as the grassroots voter base continues to assert its belief that only Republicans should have a part in choosing Republican candidates.
To contact the members of the House Elections and Campaign Finance Subcommittee and share your thoughts on HB1159, use the information below:
Rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.dave.wright@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.tim.rudd@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dave.wright@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
