State Feed: Tennessee

Citizens Using the Process

Tue, 18 May 2010 11:45:31 -0400

Another example today of why citizen initiative rights are important. This one is from Jackson, Tennessee:

The Jackson City Council turned down a curfew ordinance earlier this year, but some residents are trying to bring it back — potentially as a ballot initiative.

Tennessee: After council turns down ordinance, citizens may use ballot measure to pass it

Tue, 18 May 2010 11:05:22 -0400

The Jackson City Council turned down a curfew ordinance earlier this year, but some residents are trying to bring it back — potentially as a ballot initiative. Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association President Scott Conger said he thinks the curfew is a tool in combating youth crime in Jackson that should not be denied because city leaders found that most youth crimes happened outside of the curfew hours — 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. most nights of the week —that would have been set by the rejected ordinance.

Why Not Just Take a Poll?

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:59:29 -0500

I came across an article in the Nashville Scene earlier today and found it to be an interesting take on the idea and practice of a non-binding referendum.

Only one question for recall measure

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:07:14 -0400

The state election coordinator has ruled that Knox County has to limit a recall ballot initiative to a single question — should school board member Bill Phillips be recalled? The ballot cannot contain two questions, election administrator Mark Goins wrote in a four-page opinion released today. The second question would have been whether a special election should be held to choose a successor.

Read the story from Knox News

Wording question tables recall petition for now

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:35:03 -0400

The effort to recall Knox County School Board member Bill Phillips is tabled for now, as the election commission has questions about the wording of the potential ballot item. Administrator of Elections Greg Mackay had a question about the wording of the petition, so the election commission called the state election office to ask about the wording.

Read the story from WBIR 10

Tennessee legislation may push aside voter referendum

Thu, 14 May 2009 13:07:31 -0400

Rutherford County could get an alcohol distillery, and pending Tennessee General Assembly legislation will make this possible without a referendum, state Sen. Bill Ketron said.

Read the story from The Tennessean

Jim Roberts and Paul Jacob discuss Nashville's Hear the People Amendment

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:39:38 -0500

Roberts, a Nashville attorney and sponsor of an amendment to Nashville’s charter which would simplify and standardize the process whereby citizens can put a measure on the ballot. It’s called Hear the People. Jacob is a veteran of Initiative and Referendum battles across the nation in a decades long career helping citizens require their government to listen to them. They’ll be discussing Roberts’ Hear the People amendment and the election on 1/22.

Why is Mayor Karl Dean deceiving you about Nashville's other proposed amendment, Hear the People?

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:20:53 -0500

One of the most valuable rights available to us as Americans is the right to petition Government for the redress of grievances. So valuable, in fact, it is recognized as one of our unalienable 1st Amendment rights along with free speech, freedom of the press and peaceful assembly. It puts Government in its place. Government governs with the consent of the governed. It’s Government of, by and for the People. It should surprise no one, then, if the most active opposition to Government being responsive to the People comes from Government.

Crafton turns in signatures for English Only

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:06:43 -0400

Councilman Eric Crafton turned in the signatures of reportedly 12,503 registered Davidson County voters to the Metro Clerk’s office Thursday, clearing the way for the English Only charter amendment proposal to be on the ballot in November.

Crafton also conceded at least a portion of the approximately $20,000 the petition drive cost came from a national English First group. He said he did not know what percentage.

“I wasn’t the one adding them up, so I don’t know how much,” Crafton said.

English-only petition gets 12,500 signatures

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:33:59 -0400

Metro Nashville Councilman Eric Crafton, one of the driving forces behind the English-only ballot initiative, will deliver about 12,500 signed petition cards to the Metro clerk at noon tomorrow, Crafton said.

Crafton also has filed a bill that calls for individuals to pay a fee if they need translation to deal with Metro government. On Tuesday, the council will have the option to take the first of three votes on the translation fee measure.

Knox Charter Petition Group Begins Collecting Signatures

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:45:06 -0400

A group of Knox County citizens is pushing for change within the county government by collecting signatures from registered voters.

Thursday, the group hit the streets shortly after it won approval from the election commission to begin the petition.

Sundown in the City offered the usual fun, food, and music, in addition to the chance to begin changing Knox County’s Government.

The Charter Petition Group was on hand collecting signatures of registered voters in an effort to get their issues on the November ballot.

Liquor Petition on Way

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:41:34 -0400

A local anti-annexation group is launching an effort Monday to let voters decide whether to allow sales of liquor by the drink in Knox County outside the Knoxville and Farragut municipal limits.

Knox County Election Commissioner Greg Mackay said he met with the group’s leader and told him Tennessee law prohibits the sale of liquor by the drink outside the Knoxville or Farragut city limits.