Vote Equality: Getting out the Vote for the State Primary

Even though we've barely had time to catch our breath after a long legislative session, the State primary is just around the corner; it also happens to be the county general election. Early voting starts on July 16 and Election Day is August 5.

There's a lot at stake in this election--congressional races, half the State Senate, all of the State House of Representatives, the gubernatorial race, etc. The next General Assembly will set the plan for redistricting the State with important implications for Tennessee's congressional delegation. While TEP PAC, our political action committee, will be involved in the usual business of endorsing and helping fund pro-equality candidates, the Tennessee Equality Project will be doing what we can to raise awareness of the State primary in August and the general election in November. We want to make sure to turn out equality voters throughout Tennessee. We'll help get voters registered, make them aware of voting dates and locations, and the importance of these elections.

These races are vitally important for Tennessee's GLBT community. The Legislature routinely takes up bills that directly affect our rights. I've already found six State House candidates with anti-equality messages on their websites. We'll be calling them out just like we did in 2008. In the Nashville area, candidates for the Legislature that voted against the Metro non-discrimination ordinance are on the ballot. We'll be watching them closely, too.

If you'd like to help raise awareness of the State primary, check "attend" at our Facebook "event" and it will show up in your newsfeed. There's nothing to do after that but get informed and go vote.

-Chris Sanders