Tennessee Senate Map Ruled Unconstitutional Over Incorrect District Numbering

Judicial panel orders redraw by January 2024, while a federal lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering remains pending.

Tennessee's Republican-drawn state Senate map has been ruled unconstitutional due to incorrect numbering of legislative districts in Davidson County, which includes Nashville.
The incorrect numbering affects which years the seats are on the ballot, as the four-year Senate terms are staggered.
The state's attorneys conceded that they would not defend the Senate map in court, focusing instead on arguing that the plaintiffs didn't have standing to sue.
The three-judge panel upheld the state House map and ordered the Tennessee Senate to redraw its map by January 31, 2024.
A federal lawsuit alleging unconstitutional racial gerrymandering in the U.S. House districts and those for the state Senate is still pending, with a trial scheduled for April 2025.