RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-132

A resolution requesting the Davidson County Delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly to introduce and support the necessary legislation to require countywide satellite locations for early voting.

WHEREAS, Davidson County voters benefit from the convenience of satellite locations in their own communities for early voting; and

WHEREAS, in the 2015 mayoral runoff election a majority of voters cast their ballots for mayor during early voting; and

WHEREAS, turnout increased by 900 percent when early voting expanded from one location to satellite locations around the county; and

WHEREAS, the laws of the State of Tennessee, including without limitation Tennessee Code Annotated Section 2-6-103, et seq., do not expressly require Davidson County to open satellite locations throughout the county for the purposes of early voting; and

WHEREAS, the passage of legislation by the Tennessee General Assembly to codify Davidson County's satellite locations for early voting would be in the best interest of the voters residing in Davidson County.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as requesting the Davidson County Delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly to introduce and support the necessary legislation to clearly require that Davidson County provide that for any state or federal election, the county commission shall establish one secondary early voting polling place, in addition to the primary early voting polling place, for each state house of representative’s district containing territory in the county, and that during the early voting period, each secondary polling place shall be open at least one half as many total days and one half as many total hours as the primary polling place.

Section 2. That the Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to each member of the Davidson County Delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly.

Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Fabian Bedne, Robert Swope

AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
RESOLUTION NO. BL2016-132

Mr. President:

I move to amend late-filed Resolution No. RS2016-132 as follows:

I. By adding the following phrase at the end of Section 1:

“, provided that sufficient funding is available to provide such early voting sites.”

Sponsored by: Steve Glover