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Tennessee House of Representatives District 23

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Tennessee House of Representatives District 23

Incumbent

Assumed office: November 6, 2018

Tennessee House of Representatives District 23 is represented by Mark Cochran (R).

As of the 2020 Census, Tennessee state representatives represented an average of 69,868 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 64,398 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Tennessee legislators assume office on the day they are elected in the general election.[1]

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee State Senate, a candidate must:[2]

  • Be U.S. citizen
  • Be at least 21 years old before the general election
  • Have resided in Tennessee for at least 3 years before the general election
  • Have resided in the county or district to be represented for at least 1 year, immediately preceding the election
  • Be a qualified voter in the county or district to be represented

The following groups of people are ineligible to run for office:[2]

  • Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or of larceny, or any other offense declared infamous by law, unless restored to citizenship in the mode pointed out by law;
  • Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county thereof;
  • Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election (the election of any such person shall be void);
  • Soldiers, seamen, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and
  • Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state of the union, or under the United States.

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[3]
SalaryPer diem
$28,405.96/year$326.47/day. Legislators living within 50 miles of the Capitol receive a reduced amount of $47 per day.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Tennessee General Assembly, there are two ways a vacancy can be filled. When twelve months or more remain before the next general election, a special election must be held within the allowable time frame set by law. If fewer than twelve months remain before the next general election, members of the legislative body in the county where the vacancy occurred must vote on a replacement.[4]

DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Tennessee Const. Art. 2, Sec. 15

District map

Redistricting

2020-2022

See also: Redistricting in Tennessee after the 2020 census

On November 22, 2023, the Davidson County Chancery Court struck down the state senate map, declaring it unconstitutional. The court ordered the state to create a new state senate map by January 31, 2024.[5] On April 13, 2022, the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed a ruling by the Davidson County Chancery Court on April 6 blocking the same state senate map. Gov. Lee signed the state's legislative districts into law on February 6, 2022.[6]

On January 18, 2022, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended state legislative proposals for consideration by the full Senate in a 7-2 vote along party lines, with all Republicans supporting the proposals and all Democrats opposing them.[7] The Senate approved proposals for congressional and Senate maps in a 26-5 party-line vote on January 20, 2022.[8] On January 26, 2022, the Tennessee Senate approved the state House plan.[9] These maps took effect for Tennessee's 2022 legislative elections.

On December 14, 2021, the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Redistricting released five state Senate plans and four congressional plans submitted by the public.[10] The Tennessee House Select Committee on Redistricting voted to approve a proposal for House districts, HB 1035, on December 17, 2021.[11] The ad-hoc Senate committee released a state Senate plan on January 13.[12]

How does redistricting in Tennessee work? In Tennessee, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[13]

The Tennessee Constitution requires that state Senate districts "preserve counties whole where possible." State statutes mandate that no more than 30 counties may be split across districts. Furthermore, state law requires that state legislative districts be contiguous. There are no such requirements in place for congressional districts.[13]

Tennessee House of Representatives District 23
until November 7, 2022

Click a district to compare boundaries.

Tennessee House of Representatives District 23
starting November 8, 2022

Click a district to compare boundaries.

Elections

2024

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

2022

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

Republican primary election

2020

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

Republican primary election

2018

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

2016

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Tennessee House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 4, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 7, 2016.

Incumbent John W. Forgety defeated Daniel Housley in the Tennessee House of Representatives District 23 general election.[14][15]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 23 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png John W. Forgety Incumbent 85.70% 19,998
     Independent Daniel Housley 14.30% 3,337
Total Votes 23,335
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State


Incumbent John W. Forgety ran unopposed in the Tennessee House of Representatives District 23 Republican primary.[16][17]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 23 Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png John W. Forgety Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for 99 seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 7, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 3, 2014. Incumbent John W. Forgety was unopposed in the Republican primary. Forgety was unopposed in the general election.[18][19]

2012

See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Tennessee House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 2, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 5, 2011. Incumbent John W. Forgety (R) defeated Peggy Hall Wall (D) in the general election. Neither candidate faced opposition in the primary.[20][21]

Tennessee House of Representatives, District 23, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Forgety Incumbent 75.9% 17,039
     Democratic Peggy Hall Wall 24.1% 5,424
Total Votes 22,463

Campaign contributions

From 2000 to 2024, candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives District 23 raised a total of $608,142. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $30,407 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money

Campaign contributions, Tennessee House of Representatives District 23
Year Amount Candidates Average
2024 $46,366 2 $23,183
2022 $52,686 1 $52,686
2020 $50,673 2 $25,336
2018 $70,334 2 $35,167
2016 $51,643 2 $25,822
2014 $47,150 1 $47,150
2012 $58,884 2 $29,442
2010 $25,811 1 $25,811
2008 $26,430 1 $26,430
2006 $101,915 2 $50,958
2004 $35,190 1 $35,190
2002 $10,000 1 $10,000
2000 $31,060 2 $15,530
Total $608,142 20 $30,407

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. Tennessee Constitution, "Article II, Section 3," accessed November 1, 2021
  2. 2.0 2.1 Tennessee Secretary of State, "Qualifications for elected offices in Tennessee," accessed February 10, 2023
  3. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  4. Tennessee Legislature, "Tennessee Constitution," accessed May 22, 2014 (Article II, Section 15)
  5. The Tennessean, "Judges rule Tennessee Senate map unconstitutional, order legislature to redraw by Jan. 31," November 22, 2023
  6. The Tennessean, "Gov. Bill Lee signs redistricting bills dividing Davidson County into three congressional districts," February 7, 2022
  7. Washington Examiner, "Tennessee redistricting maps sent to full Senate for vote," January 19, 2022
  8. The Tennessean, "Tennessee senators approve new congressional, Senate districts; House to vote Monday," January 20, 2022
  9. The Tennessean, "Senate clears final redistricting map, Memphis and Knoxville House Democrats drawn together," January 26, 2022
  10. The Tennessean, "Senate redistricting panel hears public proposals without releasing committee draft," December 14, 2021
  11. Williamson Herald, "Tennessee House panel adopts new redistricting plan," December 20, 2021
  12. Axios, "Subdued Tennessee Senate redistricting maps released," January 14, 2022
  13. 13.0 13.1 All About Redistricting, "Tennessee," accessed May 5, 2015
  14. The New York Times, "Election 2016," accessed November 11, 2016
  15. Tennessee Secretary of State, "2016 general election results - Tennessee House of Representatives," accessed January 19, 2017
  16. Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 8, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 11, 2016
  17. Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 4, 2016 Unofficial Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016
  18. Tennessee Secretary of State, "August 7, 2014 Election Results," accessed September 11, 2014
  19. Tennessee Secretary of State, "Petitions Filed for State Senate and State House of Representatives," accessed April 5, 2014
  20. Tennessee Secretary of State, "Official primary results," accessed October 24, 2013
  21. "Tennessee Secretary of State - Official general election results," accessed October 24, 2013

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Cameron Sexton

Majority Leader:William Lamberth

Minority Leader:Karen Camper

Representatives

Republican Party (75)

Democratic Party (24)

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