NASHVILLE, TN – The Republican Party will have the majority of seats on the State Election Commission, as required by state law, under legislation passed today by the state House, overcoming efforts by Democrats to hang on to control of the Commission despite the clear intention of state law.

State law currently requires that the party holding the majority of seats in the legislature also have a majority of seats on the State Election Commission, but Democrats sought to use a technicality to avoid changing the membership of the commission for two years. However, today, the House passed legislation that means the make-up of the commission will honor the choice voters made in November to give Republicans the majority.

“Six months ago, the people of Tennessee voted for a Republican majority, giving Republicans a majority on the State Election Commission and all 95 county election commissions under state law, and today, after five months of trying to hang on to what voters had taken away from them, Democrats finally gave in to the will of the people. As I prepare to hand the reigns of our party over to a new chairman, it is gratifying to finally see this manifestation of Tennesseans’ faith in the Republican Party,” said Chairman Robin Smith.