Tennessee state elections in 2026 will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Primary elections for the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, governorship, Tennessee Senate, Tennessee House of Representatives, as well as general local elections took place on August 6. There will be some judicial retention elections, including one for Tennessee Supreme Court justice Mary L. Wagner, who was appointed by governor Bill Lee in 2024. There also might be some constitutional amendments to the Constitution of Tennessee on the November 3 ballot.
Attempts to close the state's primary elections during the 114th session of the Tennessee General Assembly were defeated, leaving the state's primaries open for the 2026 election cycle. Voting rights organization Organize Tennessee documented 153 incidents of ballot distribution errors, voter misinformation and intimidation, and presence of uniformed law enforcement and candidate presence at polling locations during the August 2026 primaries.
Election schedule
March 10: Candidate petitioning deadline March 17: Candidate withdrawal deadline August 6: Primary election day July 7: Voter registration deadline May 8 – July 27: Absentee postal voting available July 17 – August 1: Early in-person voting available November 3: General election day October 5: Voter registration deadline August 5 – October 24: Absentee mail voting available October 14 – 29: Early in-person voting available
United States Congress
Senate
One-term Republican Bill Hagerty was elected in 2020 with 62.2% of the vote. He will be up for re-election.
House of Representatives
Tennessee will elect nine U.S. Representatives, each representing one of Tennessee's nine congressional districts.
On May 6, 2026, Tennessee Republicans released a newly proposed congressional map that would draw out Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) of Memphis, shifting the state's delegation from an 8–1 Republican majority to a 9–0 Republican majority. The map passed both chambers and was signed into law by governor Bill Lee on May 7. The enactment of the new map extended the congressional filing deadline to May 15.
Gubernatorial
Incumbent Republican Governor Bill Lee is prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking a third consecutive term.
State legislature
State Senate
State House of Representatives
Ballot measures Possible ballot measures include:
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 94 (113th) A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to Article I, Section 35 of the Constitution of Tennessee, relative to the rights of crime victims. House Joint Resolution 94 calling for an amendment to the Constitution was passed by a majority of both houses of the 113th General Assembly. Before the proposed amendment may be submitted to a vote of the people on the November 2026 ballot, the amendment must be referred to and passed by two-thirds of the members of both houses of the 114th General Assembly. HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 81 (113th) A RESOLUTION to propose an amendment to Article II, Section 28 of the Constitution of Tennessee, to prohibit taxation of property by the State. House Joint Resolution 81 calling for an amendment to the Constitution was passed by a majority of both houses of the 113th General Assembly. Before the proposed amendment may be submitted to a vote of the people on the November 2026 ballot, the amendment must be referred to and passed by two-thirds of the members of both houses of the 114th General Assembly. SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 919 (113th) A RESOLUTION to propose an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of Tennessee, relative to bail. Senate Joint Resolution 919 calling for an amendment to the Constitution was passed by a majority of both houses of the 113th General Assembly. Before the proposed amendment may be submitted to a vote of the people on the November 2026 ballot, the amendment must be referred to and passed by two-thirds of the members of both houses of the 114th General Assembly.
Supreme Court
There will be a judicial retention election, for justice Mary L. Wagner, who was appointed by governor Bill Lee in 2024.
Local elections
County mayors
Elections will be held on August 6, 2026, to determine the mayor of many counties in the state, including several of the most populous — Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Montgomery, and Williamson County.
Clarksville
Incumbent Democratic mayor Joe Pitts will be up for re-election.
Murfreesboro
Incumbent Republican mayor Shane McFarland will be up for re-election.
See also Elections in Tennessee Political party strength in Tennessee Tennessee Democratic Party Tennessee Republican Party Government of Tennessee Tennessee Supreme Court 2026 United States elections
References