Bill locking in local primaries passes House vote despite pushback from some Republicans

Image of voting stickers (Photo by Element5 Digital/Pexels)

A bill that prevents Tennessee counties from switching to a caucus for local partisan elections passed a House vote Monday and now heads to Governor Bill Lee, despite opposition from Republican Party leaders.

The bill from Representative Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, and Senator Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, ensures that moving forward, every county that currently uses a primary for local partisan races, including school board races, continues to do so. The handful of counties that currently hold caucuses or conventions would be grandfathered in and wouldn’t be required to switch to a primary, although if they were to voluntary switch, the legislation prevents them from going back to their prior election system. The bill’s sponsors say it ensures voting remains accessible for Tennesseans, pointing out that caucuses require individuals to be present at a certain place and time and often last for hours, making it impossible for some parents and workers to attend.

Representative Lee Reeves (Photo by the Tennessee General Assembly)

“No, voters should not be disenfranchised, as there seemed to be a movement within the GOP to do. By a vote 60-25 yesterday, the House joined the Senate in protecting a party’s voters requiring a primary format be used for partisan county offices,” wrote Reeves on Facebook following the vote.

As Reeves referenced, the bill has received significant pushback from state and local Republican Party leaders, including those in both sponsors’ home county. Just this weekend, the Tennessee Republican Party’s State Executive Committee (SEC) overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing the bill, calling it a blatant act of government overreach designed to centralize control over party operations and urged lawmakers to vote against it.

Republican Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, represents Maury County, one of the few that currently uses caucuses. During debate Monday, Cepicky asked how a local primary is funded, leading to a tense back and forth after Reeves reiterated that counties already using caucuses would be able to continue to do so.

“You’re talking about the local level elections, our mayors, our county commissions, our school boards, our local judges,” said Cepicky. “If there is a primary called for, who has to pay for that? Does the state pay for that primary?”

“My understanding is in a presidential (election) year, the state reimburses the county for that and in the intervening years it’s the county’s responsibility,” answered Reeves.

“Okay hold on, you just said that in a county primary, the state reimburses the locals for that?” pushed Cepicky.

“That is my understanding during presidential years sir,” Reeves replied.

Representative Scott Cepicky (Photo by the Tennessee General Assembly)

“Ok, in the off presidential years, who pays for it?” Cepicky asked again.

“I have already answered that question for you, so I’ll say it a little slower,” said Reeves. “The county is responsible for that charge and right now almost every county has bought into that system.”

“Words have power and that’s not what you said to begin with, you said the state would reimburse them for that,” argued Cepicky, who then asked for Reeves to comment on the Republican SEC resolution opposing the bill.

“I’ll go back one minute, I wish I had tape to replay because I think I did note exactly what I said in the beginning was that during presidential years, the state reimburses the county and in off cycle years it was the county’s responsibility,” responded Reeves. “I am aware that the Republican SEC met over the weekend and they’re not a fan of the bill.”

“So, your comment is, you don’t care, or you support the state executive committee’s position, or you want to ignore their position?” pushed Cepicky.

“I appreciate you asking what my comment is. My comment is I will stand with the voters,” Reeves replied. “I will stand with the mom and dad who can’t make it to a caucus, and I will stand with the military member who is on active duty overseas defending our right to vote but cannot vote in a caucus. I will stand with the emergency healthcare workers on duty that night and I will stand with the pregnant mother giving birth the night of that caucus. I will stand and I hope Tennessee stands with me on that.”

Kingston Republican Monty Fritts additionally pressed Reeves if pushback from local GOP officials had moved his position at all.

“No, I’m confident that this bill is the right thing for the voters of Tennessee. I will stand with voters over party insiders any day of the week,” said Reeves, who also addressed false rumors about the legislation. “It does not require nonpartisan races. It does not add new costs for counties that are already using primaries. It does not require local party chairs or officers to be nominated through a primary.”

There was also support for the bill among GOP lawmakers. Hixson Republican Greg Martin told fellow legislators the bill aligns with Republican values.

“Let me remind you of this. To my Republican colleagues especially, we are the party of enfranchising, not disenfranchising the voters,” said Martin.

The measure passed the State Senate last week.