Midterm Votes 2026

Midterm election season is upon us. Many ask me how I intend to vote. As of this post, I have already cast my vote. Here is how I voted:

Amendment 1 to the Tennessee Constitution

This Amendment would allow judges to deny bail for over 75 specified allegations. It is being touted as being "tough on crime." This is not the case, it is tough on the accused. And I know far too many who have been frivolously accused. AN ALLEGATION IS NOT A CONVICTION!!!

My vote: NO on Amendment 1

Amendment 2 to the Tennessee Constitution

This amendment would forbid the state from having a property tax. Currently the state does not have a property tax. However, should the politics of the state ever shift - say, for example, by people who would California my Tennessee - then this would prevent legislators from enacting a statewide property tax. Note: this proposed amendment will NOT affect local property taxes one bit. 

My vote: YES on Amendment 2

Amendment 3 to the Tennessee Constitution

This amendment would grant additional privileges to the accuser at various steps in the criminal justice system. It is being touted as granting additional rights. The problem, is that most of the privileges herein are already granted. A few of them would infringe on the rights of the accused. Good bill in theory, but it needs to be ironed out quite a bit. 

My vote: NO on Amendment 3

Governor

I voted for Hatley. Is he perfect? No. However, he is head and shoulders ahead of the Democrat and the Republican candidates. 

US Senator

I voted for Hagerty. His work has aligned with my wishes most of the time. 

US Congress, District 6

I voted for Garrett. He seems a good fit. Time will tell. 

State Senator

I voted for Mark Pody. Mark is a great guy, and I do not have to worry about him getting sideways on key votes (see next entry). 

State Representative

Susan Lynn is the incumbent, and has been since 2003, except for a singular 2-year span. She keeps conservatives on the edge of their seats. Her most spectacular failure was voting for Haslam's gas tax increase, and saying it was a tax decrease. Famously, she was also against it before she was for it. After her shenanigans and lies about Jeremy H G Hayes in 2017, I could stand no more. I have written in candidates every election cycle since then. Well, this year, I decided my voice should count - because the State of Tennessee does not tabulate names of unqualified write-in candidates. If we are gonna have higher taxes and free shit, I will vote for the Democrat, because Matt Burchfield is promising better free shit. 

My vote: Matt Burchfield. And this is NOT an endorsement. It is a protest. 

City Commissioner

I live in District 2, and the commissioner is Bill Trivett. After years of reckless spending, the board of commissioners voted in a tax increase (after having enacted a needless tax only a few years ago). And, they put Home Rule on referendum and have been lying about why. Why vote "conservative" when the "conservative candidate" caves on the most important votes? It goes to show that both parties are tax and spend. The spend is where the free shit comes from. And the Democrats offer the better free shit. 

My vote: Bradford Loomis. And this is NOT an endorsement. It is a protest. 

Home Rule Referendum

I am one of an increasingly smaller pool of people that voted to install Home Rule in Mt. Juliet in 2006. Among other things, Home Rule means the City commission is capped in how much they can raise property taxes. This time, the commissioners and mayor are lying and saying we need to do away with Home Rule so we can get state fees and levies against builders to be used toward infrastructure. Small problem: Gallatin recently did the exact same thing and was denied the state money!!! Also, there are at least 6 different ways Mt Juliet could raise the money, through different mechanisms - all of these affecting the developers only. 

My vote: NO (keep Home Rule)

What say you?