Empowering Voters

Tennessee was once a leader in civic engagement, but today our state has fallen behind. Our voter registration and turnout rates are some of the lowest in the nation, and our election systems could be upgraded. Many Tennesseans report they feel disconnected from civic life and unsure about how to weigh in on decisions that affect them.

Ensuring All Voices are Heard

We know secure, modern election systems save taxpayer dollars and protect our elections from outside interference. And streamlined voting processes help ensure all voices are heard, which allow our elected leaders to better reflect the entire community they serve.

Moving Tennessee Forward

To move Tennessee forward, ThinkTennessee is focused on these evidence-based solutions:
  • Ensuring Tennessee voters can register and vote using modern systems that reflect best practices.
  • Working toward an open and fair redistricting process that better engages the public.
  • Empowering Tennessee communities to get involved in the redistricting process.
  • Restoring voting rights to many of the 420,000 Tennesseans who today are barred from voting because of a past felony conviction.
  • Supporting local leaders in their work to make civic engagement a priority.

Research

redistricting brief - Think Tennessee

2021-2022 REDISTRICTING PROCESS KEY FINDINGS (2022)

This brief reviews the 2021-2022 redistricting process in Tennessee and other states and makes recommendations for how Tennessee’s 2031-2032 process can draw on best practices from peer states to increase transparency and public engagement.

protecting an independent judiciary 1 1 - Think Tennessee

PROTECTING AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY (2022)

There have been an increasing number of attempts across the country to politicize the judicial process. This brief describes these legislative efforts – from those that seek to change the issues that courts have the power to review to those that target judges and judicial powers – to increase awareness of potential challenges and help ensure Tennessee courts maintain their impartiality and independence.

report image for website - Think Tennessee

ELECTION 2020 AFTER-ACTION REPORT (2021)

This report offers a retrospective look at the November 2020 election and includes feedback from the election’s frontline. This report highlights the state’s strengths and sheds new light on areas where changes to public policy could streamline the voting process and further secure our elections.