Dickson City Council Opposes State Bill That Would Make Municipal Elections Partisan

Dickson, TN — The Dickson City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday opposing proposed legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly that would significantly change how municipal elections are conducted across the state.

The legislation would require cities like Dickson to move their elections to coincide with August or November county, state, and federal election cycles and would mandate that municipal races become partisan elections, forcing candidates to run as Republicans or Democrats in primaries or as independents in the general election.

City officials argued that the proposed change would alter the nature of local government elections and could increase costs for municipalities.

Mayor Don L. Weiss Jr. said the issues cities deal with are typically not partisan in nature.

“Partisanship does not apply to the issues facing most municipalities,” Weiss said during the meeting.

City Administrator David Travis also raised concerns about the logistical and financial impact of the proposal. Travis explained that requiring partisan primaries would likely force cities to administer additional elections, which would increase costs for local governments.

The City of Dickson has previously expressed opposition to similar proposals. Mayor Weiss referenced a 2018 resolution adopted by the council that objected to combining city elections with county elections on the same ballot. At the time, city leaders said doing so could create voter confusion and complicate the local election process.

Under the resolution approved Monday, the City of Dickson formally communicated its opposition to the legislation to members of the city’s state legislative delegation, as well as lawmakers serving on the committees currently considering the proposal.

If passed, the legislation would affect municipalities across Tennessee, many of which currently hold nonpartisan elections on their own election schedules.

Supporters of the legislation argue that aligning municipal elections with statewide election cycles could increase voter turnout, while opponents contend that it could inject unnecessary partisanship into local government races that traditionally focus on issues such as public safety, infrastructure, zoning, and city services.

The Dickson City Council’s resolution places the city among a growing number of municipalities across Tennessee that have voiced concerns about the proposed changes.

Further discussion of the legislation is expected to continue in the Tennessee General Assembly as lawmakers debate whether to move forward with the proposal.