By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With just a single name on the May 5 Primary ballot, it’s likely a non-issue here in Lynchburg, but a proposal that would have required Tennessee voters to register with a political party before casting a primary ballot died Monday in the Tennessee House Finance Subcommittee, failing on a 6-to-6 tie vote that saw four Republicans join both Democrats in opposition.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. Chris Todd (R-Madison County), is dead for the 2026 legislative session. Its defeat means Tennessee will remain one of roughly 20 states that allow any registered voter to participate in either party’s primary — a system currently being put to use right now, as early voting for the May 5 county primary is underway through April 30.
The bill needed a simple majority to advance. The tie was effectively a defeat. No yes votes were recorded in the final tally.
Todd has argued that political parties are private organizations that should control who selects their nominees.
“In order to vote in that primary, you would have to be registered with that party,” Todd said during debate. “Just like we don’t allow members off the street to go over to another club to elect their slate of officers — this is the same principle.”
He first attempted the legislation in 2025, when it stalled in the Senate after no member would second it for debate. This year it cleared a Senate committee before meeting its end in the House.
Under the bill, Tennessee would have built a party registration system from scratch — the state currently has none. Voters wishing to switch parties would have been required to notify their county election commission in writing at least 90 days before an election, and the deadline would have been set before candidates even filed to run, meaning voters would have committed to a party without knowing who would be on the ballot.
The bipartisan opposition likely reflects a mix of practical and political concerns. Building a party registration infrastructure would impose costs and administrative burdens on all 95 county election commissions. Moore County is already spending money to hold a primary with a single name on the ballot.
Many Tennessee voters — particularly in rural areas — lean conservative but have long resisted formal party affiliation, and compelling them to register as Republicans to participate in GOP primaries risks depressing turnout.
What Tennessee’s open primary system actually means
Tennessee’s primary system is frequently misunderstood, even by regular voters.
The state has no party registration. When Tennesseans signed up to vote, they did not declare themselves Republican, Democrat, or independent — their voter registration card carries no party label. This sets Tennessee apart from states like Texas, Florida, and California, where party affiliation is recorded at registration and becomes part of the public voter file.
When a voter requests a partisan primary ballot in Tennessee, they are asked to verbally declare which party’s primary they want and may be asked to sign a statement pledging allegiance to that party’s principles. But that pledge has never carried legal weight. Crossover voting — taking one party’s ballot while personally aligned with another — has never been prosecuted in the state.
In practical terms, this means any registered Tennessee voter can legally choose a Republican ballot in one primary and a Democratic ballot in the next, with no record of either choice on their voter registration. A conservative-leaning independent in a heavily Democratic urban precinct, or a Democrat in a rural county where the Republican primary is the only competitive race, can participate in whichever contest is more relevant to them.
Putnam County’s election commission states the rule plainly on its official website: “You do not register by political party in Tennessee.”
The debate over closing primaries
Supporters of closed primaries argue that open systems invite “raiding” — coordinated crossover voting by members of one party to install a weaker opponent in the other party’s primary. They also contend that party nominees should reflect the will of actual party members, not casual or strategic participants.
Opponents counter that documented instances of organized raiding in Tennessee are essentially nonexistent, making the threat largely theoretical. They also note that in heavily one-party areas — which describes much of the state — closing the primary would effectively remove minority-party voters from the only election that meaningfully decides who holds office.
Bill is dead this session
The bill is dead for this session, but Todd has pursued the legislation across multiple years and is likely to return with it. Each attempt has advanced further than the last. Proponents may spend the interim addressing the cost and infrastructure concerns that appear to have driven Republican defections on the subcommittee.
In the meantime, Tennessee’s two 2026 primaries proceed under the existing open system. Early voting for the May 5 county primary runs through April 30. The state and federal primary — covering Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and state legislative races — is set for August 6, with early voting beginning July 17.
Voters may choose either party’s ballot at the polls. No advance party declaration is required, and no record of the choice will appear on their voter registration. •
About The Lynchburg Times: The Lynchburg Times covers Moore County elections as part of its commitment to community accountability journalism. This work is supported by readers, small business partners, and corporate underwriters.