The Secretary of State’s Division of Elections announced Monday that 3.08 million Tennesseans voted on Nov. 5 in the presidential election. Over 2.13 million cast their ballots early and in person, breaking turnout records this election season. The numbers for both overall voter turnout and early voting turnout beat last year’s totals. “For months, we have prepared for what was expected to be a robust voter turnout for the Nov. 5 Presidential Election,” said Secretary Tre Hargett. “We are encouraged by the record number of voters who cast a ballot and let their voices be heard.” Fox 17 reports on the data. Earlier reports had noted that this year's turnout was closer to 2020 numbers.

A handful of Middle Tennessee voters will have their November provisional ballots counted, though the fight over their registration remains unresolved, the Associated Press reports. The voters, each with past felony convictions, sought to restore their right to vote but ran into a new interpretation of state law disallowing those who cannot restore their right to possess a firearm from restoring their right to vote. Two Nashville-based judges — Nashville Criminal Court Judge Angelita Dalton and Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brothers — rejected the state’s interpretation and allowed the individuals to vote. According to Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins, the ballots will be counted but the state is not stepping away from the court fight over its policy and reserves the right to revoke registrations before the next election.

Two firearm advocacy groups, Gun Owners of America and the Tennessee Firearms Association, have sued the city of Memphis and Interim Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis, the Daily Memphian reports. The groups are seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the city from enforcing gun control measures approved by voters last week. While measures have an effective date of Jan. 1, 2025, the Memphis City Council has acknowledged they have no enforceable effect since the Tennessee Constitution prohibits local governments from enacting gun restrictions. The groups argue that despite that, the referendums infringe on their rights.

Gabby Salinas last week was elected to represent District 96 as the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to serve in the Tennessee state legislature. Salinas won the Democratic primary after Rep. Dwayne Thompson, D-Memphis, chose not to run for reelection in August. She then ran unopposed in the general election. According to the Commercial Appeal, Salinas previously ran for the state Senate in 2018 and state House in 2020. The state legislature remains unchanged by party, with Republicans still holding 75 seats in the House and 27 seats in the Senate.

Tennessee voters turned out in almost the same record numbers they did in 2020. The Secretary of State’s office says over three million Tennesseans cast a ballot. WPLN reports that’s down less than 1% compared to the 2020 turnout after a swell of in-person voters on Election Day. Compared with four years ago, early voter turnout was down 2.89%, but voters who showed up on election day nearly made up for that gap. Turnout on election day almost matched the last pre-pandemic election in 2016, the station reports. 

All 99 seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives were decided, including in 31 districts with unopposed candidates, yesterday. The state legislature will remain a Republican supermajority, with that party maintaining its 75-24 seat advantage. The Secretary of State has the unofficial results. Among the state House races that were especially close was District 97, where incumbent Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, defeated former Shelby County Democratic Party Chair Jesse Huseth by just over 1,000 votes, and District 18, with Rep. Elaine Davis, R-Knoxville, retaining her seat over Democratic opponent Bryan Goldberg with a margin of 2,600 votes, WBIR reports.. In District 67, Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, won re-election by 131 votes, narrowly defeating Republican challenger Jamie Dean Pelz, and in District 74, incumbent Rep. Jeff Burkhart, R-Clarksville, secured a victory over Democratic candidate Allie Phillips by just under 2,000 votes. Clarksville Now has more on both races. The Democratic party was able to retain two seats, as Shaundelle Brooks defeated Republican Chad Bobo in the race to replace retiring Nashville Democrat Darren Jernigan in District 60, and Nashville Rep. Bo Mitchell kept his District 50 seat in the race against Metro Councilmember Jennifer Frensley Webb, Tennessee Lookout reports.

Following yesterday's election, the Tennessee state Senate will gain three new Republican members when it convenes in January. The Tennessean reports that Tom Hatcher will fill the open District 2 seat, previously held by retiring Sen. Art Swann, R-Maryville. In District 4, newcomer Bobby Harshbarger defeated independent Dalia Price. He had previously defeated incumbent Sen. Jon Lundberg in the August Republican primary. In District 8, Jessie Seal — who ousted Sen. Frank Niceley in the Republican primary with support from a pro-voucher political action committee — won that seat. The Tennessean looks at the even-numbered Senate seats that were up for grabs in this year's election.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, defeated state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, yesterday to retain her U.S. Senate seat. Johnson, who also ran for reelection to her state House seat, was unopposed and won that race. Blackburn has been floated as a possible cabinet pick in the second Trump administration but she told NewsChannel 5 that she intends to stay in the Senate. In other races, all of Tennessee’s U.S. House members were reelected, including 1st District Rep. Diana Harshbarger, 2nd District Rep. Tim Burchett, 3rd District Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, 4th District Rep. Scott DesJarlai, 5th District Rep. Andy Ogles, 6th District Rep. John Rose, 7th District Rep. Mark Green, 8th District Rep. David Kustoff and 9th District Rep. Steve Cohen, the delegation’s lone Democrat. The Tennessean looks at all these races.

Memphis voters yesterday overwhelmingly passed three gun referendums that were on the ballot. The Daily Memphian reports that an amendment to require handgun carry permits passed with 81%, an amendment to ban assault rifles passed with 80% and an amendment to authorize red-flag laws passed with 84%. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti in September announced that the state would not challenge inclusion of the questions on the ballot after a chancellor ruled the measures could appear. The Memphis City Council had sued the Shelby County Election Commission after it ruled the measures could not be included. In Nashville, voters passed Mayor Freddie O'Connell's transit plan — a half-percent sales tax increase with revenues supporting a 15-year program of bus, sidewalk and traffic projects — with 66% of the vote, according to the Nashville Banner. In Shelby County, two cities elected mayors. Collierville Alderman Maureen Fraser received 57% of the vote over fellow Alderman Billy Patton's 43%. In Millington, Alderman Larry Dagen defeated Shelby County Republican Party leader Cary Vaughn to become the town's next mayor, the first new mayor in 12 years. The Commercial Appeal reports on both of those races.

According to Secretary of State Tre Hargett, some Tennessee voters received text messages on election day saying, “Your 2024 presidential election ballot has been officially removed from consideration.” Hargett responded to the reports calling the messages “nothing more than a scam.” However, his office did report the situation to authorities for further investigation. The Daily Memphian reports that Hargett did not specify how many voters received the texts or in what parts of the state the messages circulated.