Tennessee state legislative special elections, 2017

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
← 2016
2017 badge.png
2017 State Legislative
Special Elections
States
Alabama • California • Connecticut
Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Iowa
Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts
Michigan • Minnesota • Missouri • Mississippi • New Hampshire • New York
North Carolina • Oklahoma
Pennsylvania • Rhode Island
South Carolina • Tennessee
Virginia • Washington
Other 2017 Election coverage
Filing deadlines • Statewide elections
State legislative elections
Gubernatorial elections • Ballot measures

In 2017, two special elections were called to fill vacant seats in the Tennessee State Legislature. Both seats were filled.

Senate special elections called:

House special elections called:

How vacancies are filled in Tennessee


If there is a vacancy in the Tennessee General Assembly, there are two ways a vacancy can be filled. When twelve months or more remain before the next general election, a special election must be held within the allowable time frame set by law. If fewer than twelve months remain before the next general election, members of the legislative body in the county where the vacancy occurred must vote on a replacement.[1]

DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Tennessee Const. Art. 2, Sec. 15


About the legislature

The Tennessee General Assembly is the formal name of the state legislature of Tennessee. The Tennessee General Assembly consists of two houses, the upper house, the Tennessee State Senate and the lower house, the Tennessee House of Representatives. The boxes below show the partisan composition of both chambers directly before and after the November 2016 elections. For the most up-to-date numbers on partisan composition in this legislature, see here (Senate) and here (House).

Tennessee State Senate
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 5 5
     Republican Party 28 28
Total 33 33
Tennessee House of Representatives
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 25 25
     Republican Party 72 74
     Vacancy 2 0
Total 99 99

Special elections

What's on your ballot?
Click here to find out using My Vote

June 15, 2017

December 19, 2017

Special elections throughout the country

See also: State legislative special elections, 2017

Between 2011 and 2016, an average of 70 special elections took place each year. A total of 25 states use special elections to fill legislative vacancies. In two other states—Illinois and Indiana—special elections are used in limited circumstances. The rest of the states fill vacancies either through appointments made by the governor of the state or by a commission made up of officials from the former member's party. In 2017, 98 state legislative seats were filled through special elections.

Breakdown of 2017 special elections

In 2017, special elections for state legislative positions were held for a variety of reasons:

  • 46 due to appointment, election, or the seeking of election to another position
  • 1 due to an ineligible general election candidate
  • 15 due to the incumbent accepting another job
  • 22 due to a retirement
  • 15 due to a death

The partisan breakdown for the special elections was as follows:

Impact of special elections on partisan composition

The table below details how many seats changed parties as the result of a special election. The number on the left reflects how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the number on the right shows how many vacant seats each party won in the special elections. It is not typical to see significant net changes in overall state legislative party composition because of special elections. In elections between 2011 and 2016, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of three seats across the country, although actual races won and lost by each party varied more. For instance, in 2015, Democrats lost nine seats to Republicans but won six different seats in other races, resulting in a net loss of three seats.

Note: This table reflects information for elections that were held and not total vacant seats.

Partisan Change from Special Elections
Party As of Special Election After Special Election
     Democratic Party 45 56
     Republican Party 53 42
     Independent - -
Total 98 98

Flipped seats

In total, 17 state legislative seats flipped party control in 2017. Democrats flipped 14 seats and Republicans flipped three seats as a result of special state legislative elections in 2017.

Seats flipped from D to R

Seats flipped from R to D

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Tennessee Legislature, "Tennessee Constitution," accessed May 22, 2014 (Article II, Section 15)
  2. ↑ localmemphis.com, "Governor. Bill Haslam Issues Orders For Special Election To Replace Former St. Rep. Mark Lovell," accessed March 2, 2017
  3. ↑ Tennessean.com, "Rep. Mark Lovell: 5 things to know about resigned Tennessee lawmaker," accessed February 16, 2017
  4. ↑ electioncommission.shelbycountytn.gov, "TN House of Representatives District 95," accessed April 27, 2017
  5. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives District 95 Special Elections," accessed March 23, 2017
  6. ↑ Tennessee Election Commission, "Tennessee House of Representatives District 95 Special General Election," accessed June 16, 2017
  7. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Key Dates for Tennessee Senate District 17 Special Primary and General Elections," accessed September 15, 2017
  8. ↑ News Channel 5, "Beavers Steps Down From State Senate," August 23, 2017
  9. ↑ The Wilson Post, "Pody, Carfi qualify for special election primary," September 28, 2017
  10. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "December 19, 2017 Unofficial Election Results," December 19, 2017
v • e
State legislatures
Legislatures
Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)
SLP badge.png
2025
2024
2023
Historical elections
2022 •  2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000
Features of
state legislatures
State senates
State houses
Leadership positions
v • e
Ballotpedia
About
Editorial Content
Geoff Pallay, Director of Editorial Content and Editor-in-Chief • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Doug Kronaizl, Local Elections Project Manager • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Thomas Ellis • Frank Festa • Nicole Fisher • Brianna Hosea • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Nathan Maxwell • Ellie Mikus • Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Maddie Sinclair Johnson • Abbey Smith • Alexis Thacker • Janie Valentine • Joel Williams • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox
Flag of Tennessee
v • e
State of Tennessee
Nashville (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tennessee_state_legislative_special_elections,_2017&oldid=7098407"