On March 10, the Tennessee House Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee of the Local Government Committee defeated HB 609. It would have lowered the petition to recognize a new party from 2.5% of the last gubernatorial vote, to .5%. It also would have lowered the vote test for retention of party status from 5% for any statewide race, to 1% for Governor.
The author was Representative Bud Hulsey (R-Kingsport).
An identical bill, SB 651, is pending in the State Senate. It is sponsored by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon).
Republicans in Tennessee have been blocking reasonable ballot access reform there for a long time.