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Multiple senators object to special session, saying redistricting plan will dilute Black votes in Memphis
Summary
Several Tennessee senators placed formal objections on the record to the governor's special session, calling it unlawful and warning that proposed redistricting would dismantle a majority‑Black district in Memphis and dilute Black voting power.
Several senators used floor time during the extraordinary session to object publicly to the governor's proclamation and to warn that the session's apparent purpose—redrawing congressional or legislative lines—would dilute Black voting strength in Memphis.
Senator Yarborough placed a formal objection on the record, calling the session "unquestionably illegal" and saying the legislature was being asked to "break that law" by redrawing political lines within a recent 10‑year period. He said the session "attacks black political power" and urged respect for constituents by avoiding the action.
Senator Kyle said she did not find the session "honorable" and said Tennesseans deserve better than the present focus. Senator Campbell described convening the session so soon after a court decision as "egregious" and "hubris." Senator Oliver spoke directly to constituents in the gallery, invoked ancestors and civil‑rights history, and said the session mocked the Voting Rights Act.
Senator Lamar said the planned redistricting would "erase the vote" of Memphis residents and called it "one of the most racist actions" taken in modern legislative history. A member identified on the transcript as Leader delivered a sustained denunciation, calling out that a district that is "61% Black" would be dismantled and saying the change would deliberately dilute the voice of a community.
Those objections were voiced on the floor but did not prevent the body from adopting the rules, moving bills on first consideration and adopting a schedule for the week. The transcript records no successful motion to halt the session; leaders proceeded with procedural business, and the Senate adjourned to reconvene at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday next.
The senators' floor statements are on the record; they assert legal and civil‑rights objections to the session's ostensible purpose. The Senate record in the transcript shows the procedural decisions taken despite those objections.
