Elections - Historical Notes

Districts - Reapportionment

The acts listed below have affected the civil districts in Bedford County, but are no longer operative regarding elections. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Public Acts of 1867-68, Chapter 82, Section 8, provided that the seventh civil district of Bedford County be extended south so as to include all that portion of territory lying north of a direct line from Hall's old mills on Flat Creek to the mouth of a spring branch on Duck River near Doak's Tan Yard, in the twenty-first civil district of Bedford County.
2. Acts of 1907, Chapter 221, changed the lines between the tenth and eleventh civil districts of Bedford County so as to incorporate all the lands of W. T. Farris into the eleventh civil district.
3. Acts of 1907, Chapter 222, transferred all the lands belonging to C. L. Cooper from the fifth civil district into the ninth civil district of Bedford County.
4. Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 111, changed the boundary lines between the sixth, fourth, and third civil districts so as to include all the lands of E. E. Stovall, now located in the Fourth Civil District, and all the lands of W. G. Stokes now in the third and fourth civil districts, in the sixth civil district of Bedford County.
5. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 238, changed the boundary lines between the eighth and the eleventh civil districts of Bedford County so as to transfer the farms of W. J. Smith, Joe E. Hall, George Fisher, P. S. Scales, J. H. Turner, Fannie Beavers, Tom Beavers, W. C. Williams, J. W. Turner, Better Turner, J. S. Green, Mike Wheeler, John Orr, and J.C. Wortham from the eighth civil district into the eleventh civil district.
6. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 326, changed the north line of the seventh civil district where it reaches a point running west between the land of J. S. Johnson and J. L. Gassaway, where the partition fence between E. C. Halmontaller and J. S. Johnson intersects said north line, and with other changes so that all the lands of E. C. Halmontaller, G. W. Morton, J. W. McAnnally, George Davis, Stanley Davis, and Tom Talley are all in the seventh civil district of Bedford County.
7. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 693, altered the existing boundary lines between the eighteenth and the twenty-first civil districts in order that the farm belonging to Carl A. Olaison, a part of which was already located in the twenty-first civil district, would all be in the twenty-first civil district instead of partially as it had been situated in the past.
8. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 349, changed the lines between the 5th Civil District and the eighth civil district of Bedford County so as to embrace the farm of L. R. Smotherman entirely in the fifth civil district instead of the eighth civil district.
9. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 495, changed the east line of the seventh civil district of Bedford County, using the 1910 Federal Census figures, and by means of a fairly detailed description of the involved area which adds up to the proposition that all the farm of Mrs. Emma Maupin and that portion of the farm of H. C. Ryall and wife, lying on the south side of the Duck River Turnpike are both included altogether in the seventh civil district and are removed from the third civil district.
10. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 418, changed the lines between the eighteenth civil district and the nineteenth civil district so as to remove the farm belonging to R. J. Stevenson from the eighteenth civil district and place it in the nineteenth civil district.
11. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 445, changed the boundaries existing then between the first civil district and the second civil district so that the 311 acre farm belonging to Hilary H. Good was taken out of the second civil district and placed into the first civil district.
12. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 565, moved the farm belonging to T. F. Woodward out of the twentieth civil district of Bedford County and placed it in the nineteenth civil district.
13. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 36, changed the boundary lines between the eighteenth civil district and the twenty-first civil district of Bedford County so that the portion of the eighteenth civil district composed of the farms of Joe H. Stephens, Mrs. J. L. Anderson, and John Cooper be and become a part of the twenty-first civil district.
14. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 199, moved that portion of the farm of W. L. Taylor and C. B. Taylor lying west of the public road and containing 91 acres, more or less, out of the ninth civil district and into the fifth civil district.
15. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 167, transferred the farms belonging to C. L. Cannon and E. M. Cannon out of the second civil district and into the third civil district of Bedford County.
16. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 168, detached the farm belonging to David Hickerson from the twenty-fifth civil district of Bedford County and attached the same to the second civil district.
17. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 765, changed the boundary lines between the fourth and the fifth civil district of Bedford County so as to locate the entire farm property belonging to Robert Epps, now in the fifth district and containing 792 acres, in the fourth civil district.
18. Private Acts of 1979, Chapter 143, authorized the county legislative bodies of counties in the state with a population of not less than 25,000 nor more than 25,100 according to the 1970 Federal Census, to change the boundaries of the civil districts, but not to create any new districts nor abolish any existing districts.

Elections

The following is a listing of acts for Bedford County which affected the elective process, but which have been superseded or repealed. They are listed here for historical and reference purposes. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1809, Second Session, Chapter 42, made it the duty of the sheriff, the deputy, or the coroner to hold an election at the house of Brice M. Garner near the mouth of Crane Creek on the Elk River; at the house of Joseph Walker, Esquire, on the waters of the Duck River, and one other at the house of William Adams at or near the Fishing Ford on Duck River to elect members of congress, and the general assembly, plus the governor of the state.
2. Acts of 1812, Extra Session, Chapter 5, divided Tennessee into eight electorial districts to elect a president and vice-president of the United States. Bedford, Davidson, and Rutherford counties composed the sixth district and elected one elector.
3. Acts of 1812, Extra Session, Chapter 27, separated the state into six U. S. congressional districts according to the population of 1810. The fifth U. S. congressional district contained the counties of Williamson, Bedford, Lincoln, Davidson, and Rutherford with the stipulation that the precincts would all remain as they were for holding local elections and elected one representative to Congress.
4. Acts of 1812, Extra Session, Chapter 57, apportioned Tennessee for representation in the general assembly into twenty senatorial districts and forty representative districts. Bedford and Rutherford counties would elect one senator between them and the polls would be counted at Charles McLean's house in Rutherford County. Of the forty representatives Davidson, Rutherford, and Bedford County would each elect two.
5. Acts of 1815, Chapter 66, required that the sheriff should open a precinct for elections at the house where Moses Bridges formerly lived, which is now the property of John Ewell, on the road leading from the town of Shelbyville to the spring pond in Franklin County. All who are qualified may vote at this place but anyone caught voting more than once would be fined a minimum of $15.00. It was their duty to tally and report the number of votes.
6. Acts of 1815, Chapter 164, Section 4, provided that the sheriff, his deputy, or the coroner, should hold an election at the house of Robert Adams on Rock Creek in Bedford County for all future elections.
7. Public Acts of 1819, Chapter 69, reapportioned Tennessee for the general assembly. Bedford county would elect one of the twenty senators alone and elect two of the forty representatives alone.
8. Public Acts of 1822, Extra Session, Chapter 1, divided the state into eight U.S. congressional districts of which the sixth contained Bedford, Lincoln, Giles, and Maury counties.
9. Public Acts of 1823, Chapter 47, delineated the state into eleven electoral districts for presidential and vice-presidential elections. Bedford County and Maury County composed the eighth electoral district whose polls would be counted at Farmington and elected on elector.
10. Public Acts of 1824, Second Session, Chapter 1, separated the state again into eleven electoral districts leaving Bedford and Maury counties to form the eighth district.
11. Private Acts of 1825, Chapter 140, stated that hereafter it would be the duty of the sheriff of Bedford County to open and hold an election in the town of Farmington on the days appointed under the law for all future elections. All who are qualified to vote in any election shall also be permitted to vote at this precinct.
12. Public Acts of 1826, Chapter 3, provided that, in this apportionment of the state for representation in the general assembly, Bedford County would elect one of the twenty senators and also one of the forty representatives alone.
13. Public Acts of 1827, Chapter 17, created eleven electoral districts in the state for the election of the president and vice-president of the county. The ninth district was composed of Bedford, Maury, and Hickman counties and elected one elector.
14. Private Acts of 1831, Chapter 57, established among several others in the act a new precinct at the home of John Gregory in Bedford County at which all future elections would take place.
15. Private Acts of 1831, Chapter 216, Section 2, stated that the precinct elections established at John Gregory’s be held at the Beech Grove in Bedford County, instead of at John Gregory’s under the same regulations as provided for holding elections at other precincts.
16. Public Acts of 1832, Chapter 4, created thirteen U. S. congressional districts in the state of which the ninth district was made up of Bedford and Maury counties.
17. Public Acts of 1832, Chapter 9, divided the state into fifteen electorial districts for the election of a president and vice-president of the nation. Franklin County and Bedford County made up the tenth district.
18. Public Acts of 1833, Chapter 37, provided that in all future elections the sheriff of Bedford County would open and hold an election in the house of Jesse Stegald in Chapel Hill for the purpose of electing a president, vice-president, members of congress, the general assembly, and the governor.
19. Public Acts of 1833, Chapter 71, stated that in the apportionment of Tennessee for the general assembly, Bedford County would elect one senator and also one representative alone.
20. Public Acts of 1833, Chapter 76, provided that Bedford county would elect two delegates to the upcoming Constitutional Convention at Nashville at which 60 delegates would convene.
21. Public Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 39, assigned Franklin County and Bedford County to the tenth electoral district to cast votes for the president and vice-president. There were fifteen districts in all.
22. Acts of 1842, Extra Session, Chapter 1, delineated Tennessee into 25 senatorial districts for the general assembly of which the counties of Bedford and Marshall composed one, whose polls would be counted at Farmington, and, in addition, Bedford would elect one representative alone and share another with Marshall County.
23. Acts of 1842, Extra Session, Chapter 7, divided the state into eleven U.S. congressional districts. The fifth was made up of the counties of Franklin, Lincoln, Bedford, and Marshall.
24. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 196, apportioned the representation in the Congress of the United States. The counties of Franklin, Bedford, Marshall, Lincoln and Maury composed the sixth congressional district.
25. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 197, apportioned the representation in the general assembly of the state. Bedford County elected one representative in which the polls were compared at the courthouse. The counties of Bedford and Marshall composed one senatorial district in which the polls were compared at Farmington.
26. Public Acts of 1865, Chapter 34, created eight U. S. congressional districts for Tennessee immediately after the Civil War. The fourth district contained the counties of Rutherford, Cannon, Coffee, Lincoln, Franklin, Bedford, Marshall, and Giles.
27. Public Acts of 1871, Chapter 146, apportioned the senatorial and representative districts in the state. The counties of Bedford and Rutherford composed the tenth senatorial district and jointly elected one representative.
28. Acts of 1872, Extra Session, Chapter 7, realigned the eight Congressional districts of the state probably in accord with the 1870 Federal Census. The fourth district was made up of Franklin, Lincoln, Marshall, Bedford, Coffee, Cannon, and Rutherford counties.
29. Public Acts of 1873, Chapter 27, rearranged Tennessee into ten United States congressional districts of which the fifth district consisted of Franklin, Rutherford, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore, Bedford and Coffee counties.
30. Public Acts of 1881, Extra Session, Chapter 6, reapportioned the general assembly of the state. Franklin, Moore, and Bedford counties composed one senatorial district. Bedford would elect one representative alone and share another with Rutherford and Marshall counties.
31. Public Acts of 1882, Second Session, Chapter 27, established ten United States congressional districts in the State of Tennessee. The fifth district was made up of the counties of Cannon, Coffee, Franklin, Lincoln, Moore, Marshall, Bedford, and Rutherford.
32. Acts of 1891, Extra Session, Chapter 10, reapportioned the general assembly according to the 1890 Federal Census. Bedford would elect one representative alone and share a floater with Moore and Lincoln counties. The twentieth state senatorial district contained Bedford, Coffee, and Moore Counties in it.
33. Public Acts of 1891, Chapter 131, divided the state into congressional districts. The counties of Coffee, Lincoln, Moore, Rutherford, Marshall, Bedford, Cannon, and DeKalb composed the fifth congressional district of the state.
34. Public Acts of 1901, Chapter 109, divided the state into congressional districts. The counties of DeKalb, Cannon, Rutherford, Marshall, Bedford, Coffee, Moore and Lincoln composed the fifth congressional district of the state.
35. Public Acts of 1901, Chapter 122, placed Bedford, Coffee, and Moore Counties in the eighteenth state senatorial district and provided that Bedford would elect one representative alone and share another with Lincoln and Moore counties.
36. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 194, stated that all primary election officers holding primary elections in Bedford County shall be entitled to receive as compensation for their services not less than $1.00 per day nor more than $2.50 a day which amount would be determined by the quarterly county court. A list would be made out by election officials of those working and warrants would be issued to them accordingly by the county trustee.
37. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 196, stated that all judges, clerks, and officers holding the general elections in Bedford county would be paid as compensation for their services not less than $1.00 per day nor more than $2.50 a day, the same to be set by the county court. The election commissioners would certify the list of people working whereupon the county judge would cause appropriate warrants to issue to them.