There are no filing fees to get on the ballot as a candidate in Tennessee, and the number of signatures needed on the nomination petition is regulated by the state election commission, not the TNDP. What the TNDP needs to do is provide a forum on the party's web site for candidates to list their qualifications along with links to their own web pages and Facebook pages. The TNDP must also make sure there are active Democratic Party affiliates in each and every county in Tennessee. That will make it easier for viable candidates to get the word out to Democrats everywhere in Tennessee. It is also imperative that the electorate take the time to become acquainted with who the candidates are before they go into the voting booth. John McKamey, the best candidate in the Democratic Primary for Governor, went across the state campaigning, was endorsed by major newspapers in most metropolitan areas in the state, had an informative web site and Facebook page, yet he did not get the votes he needed to be on the November ballot. If the TNDP does not help out Democratic candidates with getting the word out and Democratic voters don't take the time to learn about their choices for candidates, then this will keep happening.

"There are no filing fees to get on the ballot as a candidate in Tennessee, and the number of signatures needed on the nomination petition is regulated by the state election commission, not the TNDP..."

Then Democrat members of the Tennessee General Assembly need to begin filling bills, as to raise up the numbers of nominating petition signatures needed to be listed on a state primary ballot for a state office (I would also suggest filing legislation that would restrict candidates for public offices that do not enact any ordinance and regulation (county trustee, county sheriff, county highway department superintendents, county clerks, etc.) through membership within a public body (e.g.: city council, board of mayor and aldermen, county commission) from entering primary elections and instead have all candidates for public offices that do not enact any ordinance and regulation to run off against each other during general elections.

"...What the TNDP needs to do is provide a forum on the party's web site for candidates to list their qualifications along with links to their own web pages and Facebook pages. The TNDP must also make sure there are active Democratic Party affiliates in each and every county in Tennessee. That will make it easier for viable candidates to get the word out to Democrats everywhere in Tennessee."

I am thinking that this should where the 1 + 1/1 + 3 rule should come into play before the state and county Tennessee Democratic Party begin to allocate limited resources of money and volunteer time before listing any candidate for primary ballot on TNDP state or county web sites --- such a rule may increase local turn out for Democratic Party county meetings.

I am convinced that the only reason this was possible is because we have an open primary system in our state. I won't reject out of hand that being listed first on the ballot has an effect--in fact, I think in a truly scientific election, different ballots would be generated for each possible order of the candidates running--but it stretches my imagination to think that that accounts for forty percent of the people voting in a primary. I personally assume that people voting in their party's primary probably care quite a lot who the candidate ends up being. Perhaps I am wrong about that, but I'd really like to see some data before rejecting my own hypothesis. Charlie Brown himself said that the reason he is now the Democratic candidate is because the state party is incompetent, so I don't find it too difficult to imagine that this was some sort of deliberate sabotage.

The fact that the TN Democratic Party has not actively & speedily offered up a VIABLE candidate as a write-in speaks volumes to me. Obviously they have given up on our state.

"The fact that the TN Democratic Party has not actively & speedily offered up a VIABLE candidate as a write-in speaks volumes to me. Obviously they have given up on our state."

I am not aware of the TNDP offering up a write-in candidate (I am not disputing that you have posted here, I am just unaware as to who this write-in candidate may be...) --- in any case, a write-in candidate is the opposite side of the same coin as an A-B-C candidate, who in my opinion, is regarding the general election as a lottery.

I am thinking that there is a division of conservative "GOP Light" Democrats within the TNDP that are attempting to marginalize liberal Democratic candidates for state offices and for membership within the TNDP state executive committee, except when these people are needing volunteers to come out and work for their own campaigns.

My point was the TNDP has NOT offered up a viable write-in candidate. That is the only hope we have at this point, as I do not find Charlie Brown acceptable or qualified. There is a stable of Dem candidates who are eligible, but the party has not coalesced around one & promoted them as a write-in. Time's awastin'. We only have a few weeks b/4 the election in Nov. I agree that our party has been "compromised" by "GOP light" members.

"The fact that the TN Democratic Party has not actively & speedily offered up a VIABLE candidate as a write-in speaks volumes to me. Obviously they have given up on our state."

I am not aware of the TNDP offering up a write-in candidate (I am not disputing that you have posted here, I am just unaware as to who this write-in candidate may be) --- in any case, a write-in candidate is the opposite side of the same coin as an A-B-C candidate, who in my opinion, is regarding the general election as a lottery with a low investment needed to enter a high risk opportunity at securing a public office.

I am thinking that there is a division of conservative "GOP Light" Democrats within the TNDP that are attempting to marginalize liberal Democratic candidates for state offices and for membership within the TNDP state executive committee, except when these people are needing volunteers to come out and work for their own campaigns.