✓ VerifiedSources ▾
Source
Tennessee Constitution · T.C.A. · CTAS
Last verified
Each office page carries its own primary-source citation.
Offices
Know the role. Understand the power.
Every office follows the same shape: what it says on the ballot, what the job actually does, what it cannot do alone, and the source we verified it against.
Federal
Federal
Understand this office →U.S. Representative
One of 435 members of the U.S. House. Every House member faces voters every two years — the shortest term in federal government. Represents one district, not the whole state.
2 years · One of Tennessee's 9 congressional districts
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass a law alone. One of 435, plus the Senate, plus the President.
Federal
Understand this office →U.S. Senator
One of 100 people who write federal law, confirm federal judges, and vote on treaties. A U.S. senator represents all of Tennessee — not a district.
6 years · The entire state of Tennessee
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass anything alone. One of 100. Most legislation also needs the House and the President.
State
State
Understand this office →Governor of Tennessee
The Governor runs the executive branch of Tennessee state government — the departments that handle education, health, transportation, corrections, and more. It is the most powerful single office in Tennessee.
4 years · Statewide
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass a law. Only the Tennessee General Assembly can. The Governor can propose, push, and sign — but the legislature writes the law.
State
Understand this office →Tennessee State Representative
One of 99 people who write Tennessee's laws. Every seat, every two years — the most frequently elected office in Tennessee state government.
2 years · One of 99 state House districts
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass a law alone. One of 99, plus the Senate, plus the Governor.
State
Understand this office →Tennessee State Senator
One of 33 people who write Tennessee's laws, set the state budget, and levy state taxes.
4 years, staggered · One of 33 state Senate districts
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass a law alone. One of 33, plus the House, plus the Governor.
County
County
Understand this office →Circuit Court Clerk
Keeps the records of the courts. Manages case files, collects court costs, issues documents, and maintains the official record of what happened in court.
4 years (TN Const. Art. VI §13) · Circuit court in one county
Cannot do alone
Does NOT decide cases.
County
Understand this office →County Clerk
Handles vehicle titles and registrations, business licenses, marriage licenses, and official county records.
4 years · One county
Cannot do alone
Cannot set the fees they collect — those are set by state law and the county commission.
County
Understand this office →County Commissioner
The county's legislative body. THIS is the office that sets your county property tax rate and adopts the county budget.
4 years · One county commission district
Cannot do alone
Cannot run county departments day to day.
County
Understand this office →County Trustee
The county's banker. Collects property taxes and holds the county's money.
4 years · One county
Cannot do alone
Cannot set your property tax RATE. The county commission does that. The Trustee collects what the commission sets.
County
Understand this office →Criminal Court Clerk
The Criminal Court Clerk keeps and manages the official records of the criminal courts in Davidson County. The office maintains case files and dockets, processes court fees, provides criminal background checks and expungement requests, and gives the public access to court records. It handles the paperwork and records of the court — it does not decide cases, set bail, or prosecute.
4 years (TN Const. Art. VI §13) · Criminal court in one judicial district
Cannot do alone
Does NOT decide cases.
County
Understand this office →Juvenile Court Clerk
Keeps the records of the courts. Manages case files, collects court costs, issues documents, and maintains the official record of what happened in court.
4 years (TN Const. Art. VI §13) · Juvenile court in one county
Cannot do alone
Does NOT decide cases.
County
Understand this office →Register of Deeds
The Register of Deeds is a constitutional office established under Tennessee law as the custodian of legal documents relating to real property. The office records and permanently preserves deeds, deeds of trust, liens, powers of attorney, plats, and other property documents required by state law. Because buying property is often the largest investment a person makes, the accuracy of these records matters — but the office records documents; it does not decide who owns property or what property is worth.
4 years · One county
Cannot do alone
Cannot decide property disputes — that is a court.
County
Understand this office →School Board Member
Oversees the public school system. Selects and evaluates the director of schools, approves the school system budget, sets district policy, and makes decisions about facilities.
Varies by county — verify locally · One school board district
Cannot do alone
Does NOT control all school funding. The county commission (or Metro Council) sets the total, and Tennessee state funding and state education law shape the rest.
County
Understand this office →Sheriff
The county's chief law enforcement officer. Patrols, investigates crimes, serves warrants and civil process, RUNS THE COUNTY JAIL, and provides court security.
4 years · One county
Cannot do alone
Does not report to the county mayor. Separately elected, accountable directly to voters.
Municipal
Municipal
Understand this office →Metro Council Member
The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of Nashville and Davidson County — the nation's first fully consolidated city-county government, established in 1963. Because city and county are combined here, the Council does the work that a city council and a county commission would do separately elsewhere. It passes local laws, adopts the Metro budget, and makes zoning decisions. It has 40 members: 35 elected by district and 5 elected at-large. The Vice Mayor presides over the Council.
4 years · Nashville and Davidson County. The Council has 35 district members (each representing one district) and 5 at-large members (elected countywide).
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass a law alone — it takes a majority of the 40-member Council
Municipal
Understand this office →Metropolitan Mayor
The Mayor is the chief executive of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Because Nashville has a consolidated city-county government, the Mayor holds the executive authority that a city mayor and a county executive would hold separately elsewhere. The Mayor proposes the Metro budget, directs Metro departments and agencies, and leads on citywide priorities such as transportation, housing, economic development, and public safety administration.
4 years · All of Nashville and Davidson County
Cannot do alone
Cannot pass local laws — the Metro Council does that
Judicial
Judicial
Understand this office →District Attorney General
The elected prosecutor for a judicial district. Decides WHICH cases to charge, what to charge them as, what plea deals to offer, and which cases to drop.
8 years · One judicial district
Cannot do alone
Cannot decide guilt. That is a judge or jury.
Judicial
Understand this office →Judicial Retention (appellate)
A retention election is not a race. There is no opponent. You answer one question: should this judge stay?
8 years · Statewide (Tennessee Supreme Court, 5 justices)
Judicial
Understand this office →Public Defender
The elected chief defense attorney for people who cannot afford a lawyer. Leads the office that represents indigent defendants.
8 years (where elected) · One judicial district
Cannot do alone
Cannot decide cases.
Party
Last updated