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Tennessee, State Senate, District 22

Tennessee State Senate District 22
Current incumbentBill Powers Republican Party

Tennessee's twenty-second state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Bill Powers.

Tennessee state senators represent an average of 192,306 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 172,403 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Tennessee State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Tennessee legislators assume office the 15th of January following the election.

Qualifications

To be eligible to serve in the Tennessee State Senate, a candidate must be:

  • A U.S. citizen
  • 30 years old before the general election
  • A three-year resident of Tennessee before the general election
  • A district resident for 1 year prior to the general election
  • A qualified voter
  • The following situations would eliminate a candidate from qualifying for office:
    • Those who have been convicted of offering or giving a bribe, or of larceny, or any other offense declared infamous by law, unless restored to citizenship in the mode pointed out by law;
    • Those against whom there is a judgment unpaid for any moneys received by them, in any official capacity, due to the United States, to this state, or any county thereof;
    • Those who are defaulters to the treasury at the time of the election, and the election of any such person shall be void;
    • Soldiers, seamen, marines, or airmen in the regular army or navy or air force of the United States; and
    • Members of congress, and persons holding any office of profit or trust under any foreign power, other state of the union, or under the United States.

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$22,667/year$229/day

Vacancies

In Tennessee, there are two ways a vacancy can be filled in the senate. When twelve months or more remain in a unfilled term, a special election must be held within the allowable time frame set by law. If less than twelve months remain in the term, the current members of the senate must vote on a replacement.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Tennessee State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 6, 2020. The filing deadline is April 2, 2020.

2019

A special election for Tennessee State Senate District 22 was called for April 23, 2019. The primary was held on March 7, 2019. Candidates wishing to run in this election were required to file by January 24, 2019.

The seat became vacant after Mark Green (R) won election to Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in November 2018. Rosalind Kurita (I) was appointed to fill the seat on January 14, 2019.

General election
Special general election for Tennessee State Senate District 22

Bill Powers (R) defeated Juanita Charles (D), Doyle Clark (Independent), and David Cutting (Independent) in the special general election for Tennessee State Senate District 22 on April 23, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes

Bill Powers (R)
53.6
6,461

Juanita Charles (D)
44.4
5,352

Doyle Clark (Independent)
1.3
155

David Cutting (Independent)
0.7
84

Total votes: 12,052
Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 22

Juanita Charles advanced from the special Democratic primary for Tennessee State Senate District 22 on March 7, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes

Juanita Charles (D)
100
1,125

Total votes: 1,125
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for Tennessee State Senate District 22

Bill Powers defeated Jeff Burkhart, Betty Burchett, and Jason Knight in the special Republican primary for Tennessee State Senate District 22 on March 7, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes

Bill Powers (R)
37.3
2,782

Jeff Burkhart (R)
33.7
2,513

Betty Burchett (R)
17.4
1,297

Jason Knight (R)
11.6
868

Total votes: 7,460


2016

Elections for the Tennessee State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 4, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 7, 2016.

Incumbent Mark Green defeated David Cutting in the Tennessee State Senate District 22 general election.

Tennessee State Senate, District 22 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Mark Green Incumbent 67.04% 41,497
Democratic David Cutting 32.96% 20,406
Total Votes 61,903
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State

David Cutting ran unopposed in the Tennessee State Senate District 22 Democratic primary.

Tennessee State Senate, District 22 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png David Cutting (unopposed)

Incumbent Mark Green defeated Lori Smith in the Tennessee State Senate District 22 Republican primary.

Tennessee State Senate, District 22 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Mark Green Incumbent 84.17% 6,183
Republican Lori Smith 15.83% 1,163
Total Votes 7,346

2012

Elections for the office of Tennessee State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 2, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 5, 2011. Mark Green (R) defeated incumbent Tim Barnes (D) in the general election. Neither candidate faced opposition in their primary.

Tennessee State Senate, District 22, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMark Green 53.1% 31,963
Democratic Tim Barnes Incumbent 46.9% 28,257
Total Votes 60,220

Campaign contributions

From 2004 to 2016, candidates for Tennessee State Senate District 22 raised a total of $3,463,367. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $230,891 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Tennessee State Senate District 22

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $1,065,764 3 $355,255
2012 $840,448 2 $420,224
2010 $29,985 1 $29,985
2008 $539,945 2 $269,973
2006 $235 1 $235
2004 $448,824 2 $224,412
2000 $538,166 4 $134,542
Total $3,463,367 15 $230,891