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Committee approves bill to let party committees fill multi-county judicial vacancies after filing deadline

State Local Government Committee · February 4, 2026

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Summary

House Bill 0458 (Rudd), as amended, was approved by the State Local Government Committee to address late judicial vacancies in multi-county districts by allowing party executive committees to nominate candidates for the general election; the amendment was adopted and the final committee vote was 21 ayes, 1 present not voting.

Chairman Moon presented House Bill 0458 (sponsored by Representative Rudd) and asked the committee to place amendment 11640 on the bill. "This legislation serves as a cleanup to house bill 855, which was enacted last year," Moon said, explaining that four judicial seats became vacant after the qualifying deadline and the amendment provides statutory direction for filling those vacancies in multi-county judicial races.

Moon told the committee the change would allow the executive committees of the Republican and Democratic parties to nominate respective candidates for the general election when a judicial vacancy occurs after the qualifying deadline, ensuring voters still see a full and competitive general-election ballot. Representative Martin and others questioned the scope; Moon clarified the bill applies only to state judicial vacancies in partisan races that appear on the ballot and does not expand to county commissioner or school board vacancies.

Chairman Scott Golden of the Tennessee Republican Party told the committee the bill addresses a narrow gap: multi-county judicial vacancies that arise after the August 25 qualifying deadline, noting there are two such vacancies this year that the parties otherwise could not fill by primary. Committee discussion cited House Bill 855 from last year as related law that still allows caucuses in other scenarios. Representative Powell said he had opposed the bill last year but supported this cleanup.

The committee adopted the amendment on a roll call (19–0) and then voted to send the amended bill to calendar and rules; the clerk announced the final tally as 21 ayes and 1 present not voting. The committee recorded the bill as moved forward for further consideration.