During this year’s session, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill capping metropolitan legislative bodies at 20 members. As written, the law — signed in March by Gov. Bill Lee — applies statewide. But wouldn’t you know it, Nashville is the only metropolitan government in Tennessee with more than 20 councilmembers, and therefore the only city affected.
After a scramble to put together maps slashing the number of Metro Council districts in half (at 40 members, Nashville’s is the third-largest city council in the country), a three-judge panel ruled in April that the law cannot go into effect before the city’s Aug. 3 election. So for now, the council holds firm at 40 — 35 district seats and five citywide at-large seats, all of them up for reelection.
While we couldn’t fit stories on every race into this issue, what follows is a rundown of the at-large race, and stories on nine of the city’s most competitive district races. Several of these stories come to us via a partnership with the Nashville Banner, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news that will launch later this year. We’ll have more coverage of district races in the coming weeks, as well as interviews with several of the at-large candidates and coverage of the mayoral and vice mayoral races, at nashvillescene.com. (Note: Your Metro Council district may have moved due to redistricting following the 2020 Census — visit nashville.gov to find out.)
The voter registration deadline is July 5, and early voting begins on July 14. —D. PATRICK RODGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
A look at the incumbents, familiar names and newcomers duking it out for at-large
After a tumultuous few years in District 1, five candidates are battling to replace Jonathan Hall
Lame duck Swope picks Blalock, while two newcomers look to bring fresh blood
The East Nashville district faces massive redevelopment — so is local government a battle to be fought or a project to be managed?
Racially and economically diverse district presents unique challenges for candidates
After eight years, the downtown district gets a new councilmember as Freddie O’Connell bids to be mayor
Local organizer and activist Jamel Campbell-Gooch wants to take Taylor’s North Nashville seat
Incumbent Druffel picks up a last-minute challenger
Preptit, Toyos and Ackerman duke it out in ‘very engaged district’
Outgoing Councilmember Angie Henderson is vying for vice mayor
Newcomer Stephanie Montenegro takes on incumbent Tonya Hancock for the Madison council seat
With Porterfield running for an at-large seat, the Percy Priest Lake-adjacent district is in need of new representation
