In 2022, only 20% of Tennessee voters cast a ballot in the primary.
This small group is choosing the candidates for you. Don't let them.
Vote in the August 1 Primary.
Be Part of the Solution.
The Problem
We have a dysfunctional government where the majority’s priorities are drowned out by the demands of a small minority. This causes chaos and gives voice to the fringes while ignoring the rest of us.
TENNESSEANS ARE FRUSTRATED.
The Cause
We believe the dysfunction we’re seeing exists in large part because a majority of Tennessee’s government is elected by a super-minority of the state’s population. Let us explain.
When one political party holds a disproportionate amount of power, it is often called a “supermajority.” Tennessee is one of nineteen Republican supermajorities, while nine other states have Democratic supermajorities.
Regardless of the ideology of the party in control, the effect of a supermajority is to sideline those in the minority. In Tennessee. the opposite is happening. Here, the majority of citizens, not the minority, are feeling ignored.
WHY?
Because general elections in Tennessee are largely uncompetitive, our state’s primary elections have an outsized impact on the makeup of our legislature. They determine not only who’s nominated but, most often, who is elected to serve.
Over the last decade, only 44 of the 402 contested state legislative races were decided by less than 10 percentage points.
Even in a year like 2020, where 69% of registered voters cast a ballot in the general election, only 9 of the 59 contested races were decided by less than 10 percentage points.
| YEAR | TOTAL RACES | UNCONTESTED RACES | CONTESTED RACES | COMPETITIVE RACES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 117 | 59 | 54 | 4 |
| 2020 | 125 | 57 | 59 | 9 |
| 2018 | 129 | 28 | 95 | 6 |
| 2016 | 124 | 47 | 71 | 6 |
| 2014 | 129 | 64 | 59 | 6 |
| 2012 | 125 | 48 | 64 | 13 |
Also, over the last decade, only a super-minority of registered voters have participated in primary elections.
The Impact
When a majority of a legislative body is essentially elected by a super-minority of the population, an inevitable disconnect develops between what most people want and what government actually does.
This disconnect occurs because of the natural incentives that motivate most elected officials.
LAWMAKERS WANT TO BE RE-ELECTED.
To do that, they need to please the people with the power to re-elect them.
Given the lack of competition between the parties in general elections, primary voters call the shots.
Over the last decade, an average of only 22% of registered voters have cast a ballot in Tennessee’s primaries.
Therefore, to be re-elected, lawmakers must please only the small minority of voters who show up for their primaries rather than the majority of citizens who live in their districts.
This leaves the majority feeling ignored and shut out. It also creates a cycle in which fewer people want to vote, and even fewer outstanding citizens want to run for office.
The Solution
The Best of Tennessee offers a rational response to this complex challenge. Tennessee’s government dysfunction isn’t a policy problem. It’s a participation problem.
Solving it requires shifting Tennessee’s political culture in multiple ways. This includes mobilizing more people to vote in the primaries, increasing competition in our elections, and incentivizing strong leadership from both political parties.
We aim to do this by educating and mobilizing “the middle majority” who feel disenfranchised by today’s hyperpolarized, all-or-nothing politics
Recognizing those in the middle have all sorts of views on all sorts of topics, we are not built around one policy issue, nor do we exist to promote one ideology or political party over another. Instead, we exist to revitalize Tennessee’s proud tradition of robust political competition and constructive, bipartisan governance.
Democratic House Speaker Ned Ray McWherter said when asked how he would handle newly elected Republican Governor Lamar Alexander, “I’ll do everything I can to help him because if he succeeds, Tennessee succeeds.”
STEP ONE
We seek to increase turnout in the August 1st primary, especially among general election voters who normally skip party nominating contests.
By broadening the base of primary voters, we begin to shift lawmakers' incentives to represent the whole of their districts instead of a small segment of their communities.
Over time, this shift in incentives will amplify the voices of the majority, lessening the chaos and division caused by the undue influence of vocal activist groups.
Importantly, we do not suggest replacing voting in November with voting in August.
Quite the contrary, participating in all aspects of the electoral process is key to creating a more functional government.
More on our primary campaign is coming very soon. Learn about some of our other initiatives while you’re here.
Strategy
1
Best of
Tennessee Inc.
Our 501(c)(4) Nonprofit Corporation will foster a more robust statewide electorate by directly engaging Tennesseans who are disillusioned and disenfranchised by today’s politics.
2
Best of Tennessee
Action Fund
Our Super PAC will use independent expenditures to support commonsense candidates who are capable of more thoughtful leadership, while also defending reasonable officeholders who have the courage to represent the majority of their constituents, not just the fringes.
3
Best of Tennessee
Victory Fund
Our Political Action Committee will assist constituencies in electing representatives who act in the interest of their community.
