Tennessee votes in midterms after early turnout jumps about 45%
The gist
Tennesseans voted Tuesday for governor, one U.S. senator, nine House seats and three amendments.
Early turnout ran nearly 400,000 votes ahead of 2022, a sign of heightened engagement.
How it unfolded
- Aug 6, 2026Tennessee held its midterm primary, with polls closing at 7 p.m. Blackburn beat Congressman John Rose for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, and former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated Trump-endorsed incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles in the District 5 Republican primary.
- Aug 6, 2026State Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis won the Democratic nomination for the 9th congressional district and was set to face Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor, who is endorsed by Trump, in the general election.
- Oct 29, 2026Early voting wrapped up, with Tennessee election officials reporting nearly 1.3 million votes.