Elections - Historical Notes

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

1. Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 50, created a Fifth Civil District in Cumberland County, giving the boundaries thereof, and providing for the election of two Justices of the Peace and one Constable therein within sixty days from the passage of this act.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 453.
2. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 453, repealed expressly Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 50, thereby abolishing the Fifth Civil District of Cumberland County which area was added to the First Civil District and the act also abolished the offices of the two Justices of the Peace and the Constable of the Fifth District who were directed to surrender all their credentials.
3. Private Acts of 1959, Chapter 276, would have reduced the number of Civil Districts in the county from eight to four by grouping whole former districts into the bigger latter ones.  The Act also would have repealed all former private acts which created civil districts.  The act depended upon the favorable outcome of a referendum vote but the act itself was not approved and did not become a law under the Home Rule Amendment to the State Constitution.

Elections

The following is a listing of acts for Cumberland County which affected the elective process, but which have been superseded or repealed.  They are listed here for historical and reference purposes.

1. Acts of 1843-44, Chapter 59, Section 18, in attempting to establish the new county of Cumberland in the area now occupied by Cheatham County, authorized an election to be held to approve the establishment of the new county.  Acts of 1843-44, Resolution 60, authorized the Judges who had held the election in that part of Davidson County taken into Cumberland County to hear proof of illegal votes being cast and received in that election.  They were directed to strike from the poll all votes which they found to be cast illegally.
2. Acts of 1865, Chapter 34, divided the State into 8 U. S. Congressional Districts immediately after the end of the Civil War. Cumberland was in the Third District with Meigs, Rhea, Hamilton, Marion, Grundy, Bledsoe, Van Buren, Sequatchie, Warren, White, Smith, Putnam, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Dekalb, and Fentress Counties.
3. Acts of 1871, Chapter 146, apportioned Tennessee for representation in the State General Assembly.  James, Meigs, Rhea, and Cumberland County would elect one Representative to the General Assembly between them and Cumberland would be in the 5th State Senatorial District with Campbell, Morgan, Scott, Roane, Fentress, Overton, Putnam and White Counties.
4. Acts of 1872 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 7, divided the State into 9 U.S. Congressional Districts.  Cumberland County was in the Second District with Sevier, Knox, Jefferson, Anderson, Campbell, Scott, Morgan, Fentress, White, Putnam, Overton, Jackson, Smith, Macon, and Clay Counties.
5. Acts of 1873, Chapter 27, reapportioned Tennessee into ten U.S. Congressional Districts.  Cumberland County went to the Third District with Polk, McMinn, Meigs, Rhea, Bradley, James, Hamilton, Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Van Buren, White, Warren, DeKalb, and Cannon Counties.
6. Acts of 1881 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 6, apportioned the State for the General Assembly.  Cumberland, Bledsoe, Sequatchie, and Van Buren Counties would elect jointly one Representative and of the 33 Senatorial Districts, Cumberland County was in the 9th with Grundy, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Van Buren, Rhea, Morgan, and White Counties.
7. Acts of 1882 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 27, apportioned Tennessee into ten U.S. Congressional Districts according to the census of 1880.  Cumberland was not mentioned in any of the lists of counties comprising the Districts.
8. Acts of 1889, Chapter 196, amended Acts of 1882 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 27, by detaching Cumberland County  and Rhea County form the third U.S. Congres-sional District and attaching them to the Fourth U.S. Congressional District.
9. Acts of 1891 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 10, apportioned Tennessee for the General Assembly according to the 1890 Census.  Grundy, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Van Buren, and Cumberland Counties would elect one Representative jointly as part of the Seventh Representative District and Cumberland was in the 9th State Senatorial District with Rhea, Bledsoe, White, Sequatchie, Van Buren, and Morgan Counties.
10. Acts of 1901, Chapter 109, separated the State into ten U.S. Congressional Districts.  Cumberland was in the Fourth District with Sumner, Trousdale, Wilson, Putnam, Jackson, Clay, Overton, Smith, Macon, Pickett, Fentress, Morgan, and Rhea Counties.
11. Acts of 1901, Chapter 122, apportioned for the State General Assembly according to the 1900 Census.  The 9th State Senatorial District was made up of Rhea, Meigs, Bledsoe, Sequatchie, Van Buren, White, and Cumberland Counties.  Bledsoe, Sequatchie, Van Buren, Grundy, and Cumberland would elect one Representative jointly for the Eleventh House District.