TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on May 4, 2026

Lawmakers are seeking to fill the late state Rep. G.A. Hardaway’s vacant seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives before the legislature returns for a special session Tuesday, the Daily Memphian reports. Hardaway, D-Memphis, died April 24, but his District 93 seat is not officially vacant unless Gov. Bill Lee issues a writ of election. Under normal circumstances, that action would trigger a special election if the next general election were at least 12 months away; however, because the next general election is in November, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners would instead vote to appoint a replacement per the state constitution, according to the paper. Hardaway represented approximately 71,000 Tennesseans in the state House.