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The second Tennessee Democrat ousted from his House seat last week in the Tennessee General Assembly was reappointed to serve until a special election can be held later this year to fill the seat for the rest of his term.
Justin Pearson, who represents parts of Memphis in Shelby County, was reinstated in a vote of 7–0 in a special called meeting of the county commission on Wednesday afternoon, April 12. On Monday, the other expelled Democrat, Justin Jones, was reinstated to his seat by the Metro Nashville Council.
Jones and Pearson will serve in their seats until a special election is held later this year. Both Jones and Pearson are eligible to run in the special elections.
Tennessee’s constitution calls for special elections in the event of vacancies if there are more than 12 months until the next general election. It is up to the governor to call for the special election and state law provides it must be scheduled within 55 to 60 days and a general election to fill the seat must be held within 100 to 107 days.
Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, has not yet announced plans for the special election.Commission Votes
The Shelby County Commission is made up of 13 members, nine of them Democrats. Two of those Democrats were out of the country during the vote. No Republicans were present at the meeting.
Pearson, 29, was one of the two black Democrat lawmakers expelled by the Republican-controlled Tennessee General Assembly over their participation in a gun control protest on the House floor in the days that followed a deadly school shooting. A third Democrat, Gloria Johnson, was spared expulsion by one vote.
Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery, a Democrat, called for a vote to be held immediately, skipping a public comment portion and the nomination of other candidates.
