TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on May 16, 2022

Shelby County Chancellor Jim Kyle ruled on Friday that Lee Mills can remain on the Republican primary ballot for House District 99, the Commercial Appeal reports. Mills, the former chair of the Shelby County Republican Party and a Republican state executive committee member, had his residency in Shelby County challenged by Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins. At issue was whether Mills’ house is in Shelby County or neighboring Fayette County; different maps show it in both counties. Kyle described his ruling as narrow and only on the fact that Mills is a resident of Shelby County. He did not rule on the border dispute between Shelby and Fayette counties, which underpins the case. Mills will face Tom Leatherwood, the current District 99 representative, in the primary on Aug. 4. He previously lost to Leatherwood in 2020.