Tennessee local trial court judicial elections, 2018

Elections in Tennessee, 2018

* General election: Nov. 6
* Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
* Early voting: Oct. 17 - Nov. 1
* Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No
* Voter ID: Photo ID required
* Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.[2]

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2018
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Elections information
Election dates • State judicial elections
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Tennessee held general elections for local judicial offices on August 2, 2018. The last regular judicial election in Tennessee was held in 2014; all seats up for election in 2018 were partial terms until the next regular election in 2022. Counties held primary elections for these races on May 1, 2018. If a primary was held in a particular county, the filing deadline for candidates was February 15, 2018. If no primary was held in a county, the filing deadline for the general election was April 5, 2018.[3]

Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population. This coverage extends to every office on the ballot for residents of these cities, including local trial court judges. In 2018, Ballotpedia covered the following local elections in this state:

* Nashville, Tennessee \- Mayor (special election)
* Davidson County, Tennessee \- Chancery court, county clerk, criminal court clerk, criminal court judge, general sessions court judge, juvenile court clerk, public defender, register of deeds, sheriff, trustee, metro council (special election)
* Shelby County, Tennessee \- County mayor, county commissioner, county trustee, property assessor, county sheriff, circuit court clerk, probate court clerk, juvenile court clerk, county clerk, and county register

If the above list includes local trial court judgeships, click the link for more information about the election. Click here to learn more about how the judges in this state are selected. Ballotpedia did not cover all local trial court judicial elections in this state in 2018. Please consider donating to Ballotpedia to help us expand our coverage of these elections.

## Contents

* 1 Election dates
* 2 Election rules
* 2.1 Selection requirements by court type
* 3 Pivot Counties
* 3.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 4 See also
* 5 External links
* 6 Footnotes

## Election dates[edit]

* February 15, 2018: Candidate filing deadline for primary election (if held)
* April 5, 2018: Candidate filing deadline for general election (if no primary held)
* May 1, 2018: Primary election
* August 2, 2018: General election

## Election rules[edit]

Primary elections may be held for trial court judges. The political parties in each county determine whether or not there will be a primary election in their respective counties.[4]

The candidate who wins the county primary election will then move on to the county general election in August and run against other party candidates that won their respective primaries.[5]

### Selection requirements by court type[edit]

Click [show] on the right of each court type below to read about its selection requirements:

Circuit Courts

Judges of the circuit court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[6][7]

The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[8]

Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:[6]

* authorized to practice law in state;
* a district resident for at least one year;
* a state resident five years; and
* at least 30 years old.

General Sessions Courts

See also: Nonpartisan election of judges

Judges of the general sessions court are elected in nonpartisan elections to eight-year terms. Individual towns or cities may establish varying ordinances for the election of their municipal judges—e.g., ordinances that allow for some positions to be elected by popular vote and some to be selected by other methods.[9][10][11][12]

Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:[13]

* authorized to practice law in state;
* a district resident for at least one year;
* a state resident five years; and
* at least 30 years old.

Criminal Courts

Judges of the criminal court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[6][14]

The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[15]

Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:[6]

* authorized to practice law in state;
* a district resident for at least one year;
* a state resident five years; and
* at least 30 years old.

Chancery Courts

Judges of the chancery court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[6][16]

The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[17]

Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:[6]

* authorized to practice law in state;
* a district resident for at least one year;
* a state resident five years; and
* at least 30 years old.

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 95 Tennessee counties—1 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  | Trump margin of victory in 2016  | Obama margin of victory in 2012  | Obama margin of victory in 2008
Hardeman County, Tennessee | 7.92% | 5.91% | 6.18%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Tennessee with 60.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 34.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Tennessee cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Tennessee supported Democratic candidates for president and Republican candidates equally. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Tennessee. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[18][19]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 20 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 50.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 22 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 46.5 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 79 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 77 out of 99 state House districts in Tennessee with an average margin of victory of 43.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district

District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control
1 | 26.48% | 71.78% | R+45.3 | 19.62% | 76.53% | R+56.9 | R
2 | 25.47% | 72.94% | R+47.5 | 22.34% | 73.09% | R+50.8 | R
3 | 23.44% | 74.89% | R+51.5 | 15.82% | 81.34% | R+65.5 | R
4 | 24.92% | 73.37% | R+48.5 | 17.60% | 79.09% | R+61.5 | R
5 | 26.22% | 72.04% | R+45.8 | 18.39% | 78.32% | R+59.9 | R
6 | 27.88% | 70.48% | R+42.6 | 24.82% | 70.87% | R+46.1 | R
7 | 32.16% | 65.69% | R+33.5 | 28.10% | 67.14% | R+39 | R
8 | 25.60% | 72.64% | R+47 | 22.13% | 73.51% | R+51.4 | R
9 | 25.47% | 72.83% | R+47.4 | 16.67% | 80.51% | R+63.8 | R
10 | 26.13% | 72.49% | R+46.4 | 19.78% | 76.98% | R+57.2 | R
11 | 24.31% | 73.99% | R+49.7 | 16.57% | 80.41% | R+63.8 | R
12 | 21.96% | 76.64% | R+54.7 | 18.10% | 78.27% | R+60.2 | R
13 | 46.29% | 51.08% | R+4.8 | 46.53% | 46.55% | R+0 | R
14 | 27.16% | 71.40% | R+44.2 | 31.73% | 62.39% | R+30.7 | R
15 | 64.97% | 32.36% | D+32.6 | 63.19% | 30.19% | D+33 | D
16 | 26.02% | 72.27% | R+46.3 | 25.79% | 69.20% | R+43.4 | R
17 | 23.13% | 75.42% | R+52.3 | 17.26% | 79.08% | R+61.8 | R
18 | 37.12% | 60.80% | R+23.7 | 40.01% | 52.84% | R+12.8 | R
19 | 24.61% | 73.61% | R+49 | 20.94% | 74.82% | R+53.9 | R
20 | 26.93% | 71.34% | R+44.4 | 24.49% | 70.69% | R+46.2 | R
21 | 25.45% | 73.18% | R+47.7 | 21.22% | 75.52% | R+54.3 | R
22 | 23.71% | 74.79% | R+51.1 | 16.46% | 80.41% | R+64 | R
23 | 25.15% | 73.42% | R+48.3 | 17.86% | 79.49% | R+61.6 | R
24 | 24.40% | 74.21% | R+49.8 | 21.09% | 74.46% | R+53.4 | R
25 | 26.28% | 72.36% | R+46.1 | 20.11% | 77.28% | R+57.2 | R
26 | 34.03% | 64.08% | R+30.1 | 31.79% | 62.75% | R+31 | R
27 | 34.43% | 63.74% | R+29.3 | 31.70% | 62.61% | R+30.9 | R
28 | 80.31% | 18.45% | D+61.9 | 77.92% | 17.79% | D+60.1 | D
29 | 33.45% | 64.95% | R+31.5 | 29.81% | 65.70% | R+35.9 | R
30 | 37.06% | 61.14% | R+24.1 | 34.33% | 60.41% | R+26.1 | R
31 | 27.30% | 71.02% | R+43.7 | 18.77% | 78.05% | R+59.3 | R
32 | 26.67% | 71.68% | R+45 | 21.60% | 74.28% | R+52.7 | R
33 | 35.25% | 62.79% | R+27.5 | 31.54% | 63.16% | R+31.6 | R
34 | 33.18% | 65.32% | R+32.1 | 31.29% | 63.52% | R+32.2 | R
35 | 23.70% | 74.95% | R+51.3 | 15.89% | 81.43% | R+65.5 | R
36 | 26.89% | 71.70% | R+44.8 | 18.57% | 78.26% | R+59.7 | R
37 | 38.33% | 59.99% | R+21.7 | 36.08% | 58.84% | R+22.8 | R
38 | 24.89% | 73.79% | R+48.9 | 16.00% | 81.84% | R+65.8 | R
39 | 33.22% | 65.17% | R+32 | 24.43% | 72.61% | R+48.2 | R
40 | 31.85% | 66.76% | R+34.9 | 23.97% | 72.67% | R+48.7 | R
41 | 32.24% | 66.34% | R+34.1 | 20.31% | 77.25% | R+56.9 | D
42 | 30.46% | 67.77% | R+37.3 | 25.64% | 70.08% | R+44.4 | R
43 | 35.21% | 62.96% | R+27.8 | 22.37% | 74.65% | R+52.3 | R
44 | 31.04% | 67.73% | R+36.7 | 26.55% | 69.59% | R+43 | R
45 | 26.81% | 71.94% | R+45.1 | 25.43% | 70.33% | R+44.9 | R
46 | 31.50% | 67.04% | R+35.5 | 25.22% | 70.47% | R+45.3 | R
47 | 30.99% | 67.13% | R+36.1 | 23.89% | 72.27% | R+48.4 | R
48 | 36.74% | 61.61% | R+24.9 | 33.92% | 60.93% | R+27 | R
49 | 39.71% | 58.68% | R+19 | 37.26% | 57.65% | R+20.4 | R
50 | 41.70% | 56.68% | R+15 | 44.24% | 50.66% | R+6.4 | D
51 | 66.01% | 31.55% | D+34.5 | 67.37% | 26.85% | D+40.5 | D
52 | 67.26% | 31.18% | D+36.1 | 67.30% | 27.78% | D+39.5 | D
53 | 51.53% | 46.59% | D+4.9 | 54.11% | 38.90% | D+15.2 | D
54 | 83.83% | 15.06% | D+68.8 | 81.44% | 15.31% | D+66.1 | D
55 | 56.64% | 40.99% | D+15.7 | 62.66% | 30.37% | D+32.3 | D
56 | 37.97% | 60.61% | R+22.6 | 47.22% | 46.82% | D+0.4 | R
57 | 27.13% | 71.48% | R+44.4 | 24.99% | 70.38% | R+45.4 | R
58 | 86.45% | 11.94% | D+74.5 | 82.52% | 12.58% | D+69.9 | D
59 | 70.87% | 27.77% | D+43.1 | 70.12% | 26.06% | D+44.1 | D
60 | 42.92% | 55.47% | R+12.6 | 44.82% | 49.40% | R+4.6 | D
61 | 25.02% | 73.85% | R+48.8 | 31.20% | 63.62% | R+32.4 | R
62 | 29.19% | 69.47% | R+40.3 | 22.37% | 74.69% | R+52.3 | R
63 | 24.83% | 73.95% | R+49.1 | 28.09% | 66.72% | R+38.6 | R
64 | 31.94% | 66.63% | R+34.7 | 25.56% | 70.79% | R+45.2 | R
65 | 29.11% | 69.35% | R+40.2 | 29.72% | 64.68% | R+35 | R
66 | 31.53% | 67.11% | R+35.6 | 24.53% | 71.72% | R+47.2 | R
67 | 54.58% | 43.95% | D+10.6 | 47.83% | 45.50% | D+2.3 | D
68 | 35.78% | 62.76% | R+27 | 31.26% | 63.72% | R+32.5 | R
69 | 40.73% | 57.62% | R+16.9 | 29.72% | 66.98% | R+37.3 | R
70 | 31.22% | 67.54% | R+36.3 | 22.18% | 75.41% | R+53.2 | R
71 | 24.67% | 73.66% | R+49 | 15.60% | 81.73% | R+66.1 | R
72 | 27.58% | 70.95% | R+43.4 | 18.81% | 78.70% | R+59.9 | R
73 | 32.43% | 66.66% | R+34.2 | 30.38% | 66.96% | R+36.6 | R
74 | 44.75% | 53.51% | R+8.8 | 32.44% | 62.91% | R+30.5 | R
75 | 35.99% | 62.32% | R+26.3 | 23.49% | 73.77% | R+50.3 | R
76 | 31.38% | 67.25% | R+35.9 | 24.03% | 73.21% | R+49.2 | R
77 | 26.95% | 71.89% | R+44.9 | 19.93% | 77.87% | R+57.9 | R
78 | 31.74% | 66.52% | R+34.8 | 24.60% | 71.32% | R+46.7 | R
79 | 32.57% | 66.24% | R+33.7 | 25.73% | 71.87% | R+46.1 | R
80 | 65.84% | 33.40% | D+32.4 | 59.47% | 38.32% | D+21.2 | D
81 | 29.62% | 69.23% | R+39.6 | 24.73% | 72.28% | R+47.6 | R
82 | 47.11% | 52.21% | R+5.1 | 39.75% | 58.51% | R+18.8 | D
83 | 35.52% | 63.50% | R+28 | 42.62% | 53.17% | R+10.6 | R
84 | 88.19% | 11.41% | D+76.8 | 87.27% | 10.83% | D+76.4 | D
85 | 86.69% | 12.90% | D+73.8 | 86.70% | 11.57% | D+75.1 | D
86 | 76.09% | 23.16% | D+52.9 | 72.98% | 24.31% | D+48.7 | D
87 | 86.77% | 12.68% | D+74.1 | 86.66% | 11.18% | D+75.5 | D
88 | 76.07% | 23.17% | D+52.9 | 75.43% | 21.94% | D+53.5 | D
89 | 29.02% | 69.00% | R+40 | 30.19% | 63.68% | R+33.5 | R
90 | 82.88% | 15.83% | D+67.1 | 82.77% | 13.27% | D+69.5 | D
91 | 89.73% | 9.60% | D+80.1 | 86.97% | 10.77% | D+76.2 | D
92 | 32.45% | 65.92% | R+33.5 | 23.60% | 73.36% | R+49.8 | R
93 | 78.51% | 20.54% | D+58 | 76.41% | 20.35% | D+56.1 | D
94 | 31.77% | 67.08% | R+35.3 | 26.34% | 71.15% | R+44.8 | R
95 | 23.35% | 75.79% | R+52.4 | 28.51% | 67.82% | R+39.3 | R
96 | 43.76% | 55.37% | R+11.6 | 50.57% | 45.95% | D+4.6 | D
97 | 37.56% | 61.31% | R+23.8 | 41.60% | 54.17% | R+12.6 | R
98 | 81.57% | 17.71% | D+63.9 | 80.24% | 17.34% | D+62.9 | D
99 | 28.53% | 70.51% | R+42 | 29.33% | 67.14% | R+37.8 | R
Total | 39.08% | 59.48% | R+20.4 | 34.91% | 61.06% | R+26.2 | \-
Source: Daily Kos

## See also[edit]

Local courts | Tennessee | Other local coverage

|
|

* Local trial court judicial elections, 2018
* Courts and judges by county
* Judicial selection by state
* Judicial elections

* Tennessee elections, 2018
* Judicial selection in Tennessee
* Public policy in Tennessee
* Endorsers in Tennessee

* Municipal elections, 2018
* School board elections, 2018
* Local ballot measure elections, 2018
* Recall elections, 2018

## External links[edit]

* Tennessee Secretary of State

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
2. ↑ In Tennessee, most polling places were open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. All precincts closed at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and 7:00 p.m. Central.
3. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Key Dates for the 2018 Election Cycle," accessed October 2, 2017
4. ↑ Information emailed to Ballotpedia by the director of communications for the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts on March 24 and April 3, 2014.
5. ↑ Hamilton County, Tennessee Election Commission, "Differences Between Primary Elections & General Elections," accessed May 4, 2014
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," archived September 11, 2014
7. ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
8. ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
9. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," archived September 11, 2014
10. ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "37-1-207 - Special juvenile courts Judges," accessed July 22, 2015
11. ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-18-203 - Term of office," accessed July 22, 2015
12. ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202 - Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
13. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," archived September 11, 2014
14. ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
15. ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
16. ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
17. ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
18. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
19. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017

Tennessee courts

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Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee

State courts:

Tennessee Supreme Court • Tennessee Court of Appeals • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals • Tennessee Circuit Court • Tennessee Chancery Courts • Tennessee Criminal Court • Tennessee Probate Court • Tennessee General Sessions Court • Tennessee Juvenile Court • Tennessee Municipal Court

State resources:

Courts in Tennessee • Tennessee judicial elections • Judicial selection in Tennessee

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