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Elections - Historical Notes

Tennessee Code Annotated
Tennessee Attorney General Opinions

Districts - Reapportionment

The acts listed below have affected the civil districts in Henry County, but are no longer operative regarding elections.

  1. Acts of 1901, Chapter 370, changed the boundary line between the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Civil Districts of Henry County in order to make the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railway the boundary line between the two districts and the voting place for both districts was in that portion of each district which laid within the town limits of Puryear.
  2. Acts of 1903, Chapter 577, reduced the number of Civil Districts in Henry County by abolishing certain districts and annexed the territories into the remaining districts.  The voting precincts remained unchanged.  The Justices of the Peace whose districts were abolished had to turn over their dockets and office papers to the Justices of the Peace in which their district had become a part of.
  3. Acts of 1905, Chapter 216, amended Acts of 1903, Chapter 577, by changing the Twenty-third Civil District to the Fourteenth Civil District.  The Election Commissioners of Henry County were authorized to call an election for the new Civil District for the purpose of electing two Justices of the Peace, one Constable, Tax Assessor and three School Directors.
  4. Acts of 1907, Chapter 587, created the Fifteenth Civil District in Henry County from parts of the Twenty-first and Thirteenth Civil Districts.  The act also set the boundaries for the Fifteenth Civil District.

Elections

The following is a listing of acts for Henry County which affected the elective process, but which have been superseded or repealed.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. Public Acts of 1822, Chapter 1, divided Tennessee into nine districts for the election of Representatives to the Congress of the United States.  Henry, Hardin, Perry, Lawrence, Carroll, Henderson, Madison and Shelby Counties comprised the Ninth District.  The act provided for the Sheriffs to certify to the Governor the votes received by each candidate.  The Governor would then notify the successful candidate.  Failure of the Sheriff to perform his duties constituted a misdemeanor.
  2. Public Acts of 1826, Chapter 3, apportioned the State for representation in the General Assembly into 20 Senatorial and 40 Representative Districts.  One Senator would be elected jointly by Henry, Weakley, Obion, Carroll, Gibson and Dyer Counties, and Henry and Weakley Counties would elect one Representative. 
  3. Public Acts of 1832, Chapter 4, divided Tennessee into thirteen U.S. Congressional Districts, placing in the Twelfth District the Counties of Haywood, Madison, Dyer, Obion, Gibson, Weakley, Carroll and Henry.  
  4. Public Acts of 1833, Chapter 71, reapportioned the State for the General Assembly which would be composed of twenty Senators and forty Representatives.  The Counties of Henry, Carroll, Weakley and Obion Counties would elect one Senator and Henry, Carroll and Madison Counties would elect one Representative.
  5. Acts of 1842 (2nd Sess.), Chapter 1, apportioned the State for the General Assembly into twenty-five Senatorial Districts and fifty Representative Districts. Henry, Weakley and Obion Counties made up the Twenty-first Senatorial District with the polls being counted at Dresden.  The act provided for Henry to elect one Representative and the polls to be counted at the courthouse in the County.
  6. Acts of 1842 (2nd Sess.), Chapter 7, provided for eleven U.S. Congressional Districts in Tennessee.  The Ninth District contained Robertson, Montgomery, Stewart, Dickson, Humphreys, Benton and Henry Counties.
  7. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 196, formed ten U.S. Congressional Districts in the State.  The Counties of Henry, Weakley, Dyer, Obion, Lauderdale, Tipton, Gibson, Carroll and Henderson were assigned to the Ninth District.
  8. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 197, apportioned the State for representation in the General Assembly.  Henry County would elect one Representative.  The Counties of Henry, Weakley and Obion would jointly elect one Senator.
  9. Public Acts of 1865, Chapter 34, was the first apportionment act subsequent to the Civil War and it divided Tennessee into eight U.S. Congressional Districts. The Seventh U.S. Congressional District consisted of Benton, Henry, Weakley, Obion, Dyer, Gibson, Lauderdale, Henderson and Carroll Counties.
  10. Public Acts of 1869-70, Chapter 105, authorized a referendum to be held on the proposed calling of a Constitutional Convention which would amend, revise or form a new Constitution for the State.  The ballots would be simply a "For" or "Against" proposition.  There would be seventy-five delegates to the convention and each county would have the same number of delegates as it had Senators and Representatives in the General Assembly.  The delegates elected would convene in Nashville on the second Monday in January, 1870.
  11. Public Acts of 1871, Chapter 146, reapportioned Tennessee for the General Assembly based upon the 1870 Federal Census.  Of the fifty Representatives, Henry County would elect one alone.  Henry, Carroll, Weakley and Gibson Counties would jointly elect one of the twenty-five Senators.
  12. Acts of 1872 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 7, created nine U.S. Congressional Districts with Henry, Montgomery, Houston, Stewart, Humphreys, Benton, Carroll, Henderson, Decatur, Perry, Hardin and McNairy Counties making up the Seventh District.
  13. Public Acts of 1873, Chapter 27, added a tenth U. S. Congressional District to the State and rearranged the county assignments of each District.  The Eighth District contained Henry, Benton, Carroll, Perry, Decatur, Hardin, McNairy, Henderson and Madison Counties.
  14. Public Acts of 1881 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 6, apportioned Tennessee into districts.  The act provided for Henry to elect one Representative and elect another Representative jointly with Weakley County.  Weakley and Henry Counties composed the Twenty-seventh Senatorial District.
  15. Public Acts of 1882 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 27, divided Tennessee into ten U. S. Congressional Districts.  The Counties of Henry, Benton, Perry, Decatur, Hardin, McNairy, Henderson, Madison and Carroll composed the Eighth Congressional District. 
  16. Acts of 1891 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 10, provided that Henry would elect one Representative and jointly elect another Representative with Benton and Decatur Counties.  Henry and Carroll Counties composed the Twenty-fifth State Senatorial District.
  17. Acts of 1901, Chapter 109, divided the State into ten U. S. Congressional Districts.  The Eighth District was composed of Henry, Benton, Carroll, Perry, Decatur, Henderson, Chester, Madison, McNairy and Hardin Counties.
  18. Acts of 1901, Chapter 122, apportioned the representation for the General Assembly of Tennessee based upon the 1900 Federal Census.  Henry and Carroll Counties made up the Twenty-fourth Senatorial District.  Henry would elect one Representative and would elect another Representative jointly with Weakley and Carroll.
  19. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 366, provided for each Registrar in Henry County to be paid $3 per day for each day devoted to the discharge of the duties of that office and to be paid fifty cents for each list of certified voters.
  20. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 573, provided for the Registrars in Henry County to be paid $3 per day for each day devoted to the discharge of their duties and to be paid fifty cents for each list of certified voters.
  21. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 581, provided that in Henry County the Judges, Clerks and officials would be paid $2 per day for service as an election official.  The Commission of Elections and Primary Board was authorized to certify the election officials to the County Judge or Chairman after the election, so the compensation could be paid.
  22. Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 565, provided for the County Commissioners of Election in Henry County to be paid $15 each for each general election or registration held and for each member of the Party Primary Boards to be paid $15 for each primary election held.  The compensation would be paid out of the county funds by the County Trustee on the warrant of the County Judge.
  23. Private Acts of 1981, Chapter 120, repealed Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 834, and its amendments, herein.  Private Acts of 1981, Chapter 120, was repealed by Private Acts of 1981, Chapter 159, which revived Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 834, and all its amendments.