Learning Center
Short explainers on the mechanics of Tennessee elections and government. 8th-grade reading level. Every article is sourced, dated, and neutral — we describe the mechanism, you draw the conclusion.
Featured explainer
On Davidson County's August 6 ballot, one candidate appears in two primaries. Here is what that means and does not mean.
2 min read
How Tennessee elections work — primaries, general elections, and the calendar behind them.
Independent and minor-party candidates do not run in primaries. They qualify directly for the November ballot, which is why the general election ballot often includes names you did not see in August.
3 min read
You can register online, by mail, or in person. The deadline is at least 30 days before Election Day. If you will turn 18 by Election Day, you can register now.
4 min read
What different levels of government do, and where their powers begin and end.
Every office has powers it holds by itself, and powers it can only exercise with other offices. Confusing the two is how promises get broken and how voters get disillusioned.
4 min read
Each level has different powers. Most people assume the highest level controls the most. On the things that touch your daily life, the opposite is usually true.
3 min read
All 99 Tennessee House seats are on the ballot every two years. It is the most frequently available lever in Tennessee government — and the one most people skip.
3 min read
What you'll see when you look at a ballot, and how to read it.
On Davidson County's August 6 ballot, one candidate appears in two primaries. Here is what that means and does not mean.
2 min read
A retention election is not a race. There is no opponent. You are voting yes or no on whether a sitting judge should stay in office.
4 min read
An unopposed race still appears on the ballot. You may vote for the candidate, write in a name, or skip the race. Skipping a race does not invalidate the rest of your ballot.
3 min read
State-specific rules that shape how Tennesseans vote and are represented.
You need a photo ID issued by the federal government or the State of Tennessee. Student IDs are not accepted. If you forget your ID, you can vote a provisional ballot.
4 min read
Tennessee does not register voters by party. On primary day, you choose which party ballot you want. You may vote in only one, and choosing a party ballot does not make you a member of that party.
3 min read
Nashville and Davidson County share one combined government. Here is what that means for who represents you.
2 min read
Neutral questions and standards you can use to evaluate any candidate.
Campaign finance filings are public. Federal candidates report to the FEC. Tennessee candidates report to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. Here is how to read them yourself.
5 min read
How to verify election information — and how to tell decisions from descriptions.
For dates, deadlines, districts, and what is on your ballot, go to the source that decides it — not the source that describes it.
3 min read
People use these two words interchangeably, but they mean different things. An independent candidate has political views. A nonpartisan organization does not take sides.
2 min read
Elections 101
Government 101
Ballot 101
Tennessee Government
Candidate Evaluation
Media Literacy