BY-LAWS 

OF THE 

TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS 

ARTICLE I 

PURPOSE OF ASSOCIATION 

Purpose of Association. The purpose of the Tennessee Association of County Election 
Officials is to provide an educational forum for the exchange of ideas relative to the 
administration of elections and to offer an opportunity for members to suggest and 
participate in the implementation of improvements in or to election law. 

ARTICLE II 

MEMBERSHIP 

SECTION 1. Membership. The membership of the Association shall include and be limited 
to: 

 All County Election Commissioners in the State of Tennessee, Registrars 

 or other Chief Administrative Election Officials from each county, Deputy 
Registrars, and Voting Machine Technicians. 

SECTION 2. Ex-Officio Members. The State Coordinator of Elections, the Secretary of 
State, and members of the State Election Commission shall be ex-officio members. 

SECTION 3. Dues. Dues shall be twenty five dollars ($25) per year for each member, 
payable to the Treasurer of the Association by January 31 of each calendar year. 

SECTION 4. Privileges of Membership. All members in good standing (dues current) 
      shall have voting privileges and shall be eligible to hold office and serve on committees. 

ARTICLE III 

MEETING OF MEMBERS 

SECTION 1. Annual Meeting. An Annual Meeting of the Members of the Association shall 
be held in Nashville, Tennessee in years in which a statewide election is held. In years in 
which a statewide election is not held, the Annual Meeting shall be held in either the 
Eastern or Western Grand Division, alternating between the two, if possible. 

SECTION 2. Annual Report. Each standing committee shall present an annual report to 
the Association at large at each Annual Meeting and shall receive suggestions from 
members relative to progress and activities to be undertaken in the ensuing year. 

SECTION 3. Quorum. Twenty-five (25) members shall constitute a quorum for the 
transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. 

SECTION 4. Voting. Each member shall be entitled to only one vote upon each matter 
submitted. All questions shall be decided by a vote of a majority of all the present voting 
members. There shall be no voting by proxy. 

The method of voting will be chosen by the Coordinator of Elections in order to give the 
membership of the Association an introduction to, and access to, the various types of 
voting equipment. Polling hours will be announced in the agenda of the Annual Meeting. 
Members may vote during the time announced or until the last person in line at the 
announced closing time has voted. 

In the event of a tie vote between two candidates for any office of the Association, a coin 
toss shall be used to determine the winner. The coin shall be provided and tossed by the 
Coordinator of Elections or a designee of the Coordinator’s choosing. The candidate 
whose last name appears first alphabetically shall choose the preferred outcome of the 
coin toss before the coin is tossed. 

SECTION 5. Order of Business. The order of business at the Annual Meeting of the 
members and, so far as possible, at all other meetings, shall be essentially as follows, 
except as otherwise determined by the members at such meeting: 

 1. Report on number of members present in order to determine the existence of a quorum. 

 2. Reading the notice of the meeting and proof of the due publication and mailing thereof. 

 3. Reading of minutes of previous meetings of members and the taking of necessary action 

 thereon. 

 4. Presentation and consideration of reports of Officers and Committees. 

 5. Election of Officers.

 6. Unfinished business. 

 7. New business. 

 8. Adjournment. 

ARTICLE IV 

OFFICERS 

SECTION 1. Number. The Officers of the Association shall be a President, two (2) Vice-
presidents from each Grand Division of the State of Tennessee, a Secretary, and a 
Treasurer. 

SECTION 2. Term of Office. All Officers elected in 1998 shall serve a three (3) year term 
until the Annual Meeting in 2001 and shall be ineligible to immediately succeed 
themselves in the same office. All Officers elected after 1998 shall serve a two (2) year 

term and shall be ineligible to immediately succeed themselves in the same office for one 
(1) term; however, any former Officer may be elected to office having served in a different 
capacity or having not served for one (1) year. 

SECTION 3. Report of Nominating Committee. The report of the Nominating Committee 
shall be published in “The Tally Sheet” to the membership thirty (30) days prior to the 
Annual Meeting at which Officers are to be elected. In addition, the Nominating 
Committee shall include in its report any names of nominees submitted to it by any 
member in good standing. Any such additional nominees shall be submitted in writing to 
the Chairman of the Nominating Committee at least fifty (50) days prior to the Annual 
Meeting. 

SECTION 4. President. The Nominating Committee’s nominee(s) for President shall be 
any former officer. Additional nominations may be made as described in Section 3, or by 
voting members from the floor. If, for any reason, any former officer is unable or unwilling 
to serve, the Nominating Committee may nominate any member. 

SECTION 5. Vice-Presidents. There shall be two (2) Vice-Presidents from each Grand 
Division of the State. Each shall be elected by a caucus of the members from the 
respective Grand Divisions who are present at the Annual Meeting. Each Grand Division 
caucus shall determine its own method of voting for its Vice-presidents. Each Grand 
Division shall elect one vice-president who shall be a Commissioner; the other Vice-
president shall be elected from the remaining eligible membership excluding 
Commissioners. 

It shall be the duty of the Vice-presidents to select one of their number to preside over any 
meeting in the absence of the President, and to perform such other duties as may be 
assigned to them. A Vice-president shall serve as Chairman of the Voter Outreach 
Committee, the Election Administration Committee, and the appropriate Occupational 
Committee as agreed upon by the respective Vice-presidents. 

SECTION 6. Secretary. Nominee(s) for Secretary shall be nominated by the Nominating 
Committee, or by any voting member from the floor. He/she shall be elected by a majority 
vote of all voting members present. 

The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings which shall be transmitted to the 
members prior to the next meeting. He/she shall be responsible for receiving and 
compiling committee reports and being sure the appropriate committees have reports 
prepared for the Annual Meeting. 

SECTION 7. Treasurer. Nominee(s) for Treasurer shall be nominated by the Nominating 
Committee, or by any voting member from the floor. He/she shall be elected by a majority 
vote of all voting members present. 

The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds as instructed by the Budget and 
Finance Committee and the President shall serve as Chairman of the Budget and Finance 

Committee. He/she shall submit reports annually on the seminar fund and the general 
fund. 

SECTION 8. Coordinator of Elections. The Coordinator of Elections shall serve as liaison 
between the Association and non-members interested in the election process, including 
but not limited to the General Assembly and the public at large. 

ARTICLE V 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

SECTION 1. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the 
President, past President, the six Regional Vice-presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, 
and the President of the Voting Machine Technicians. 

SECTION 2. Duties of the Executive Committee. It shall be the duty of the Executive 
Committee to approve appointment of the committee members submitted by the Chairman 
of the each respective committee. The selections of the Committee Chairman shall be 
given due deference by the rest of the Committee; however, the Executive Committee 
shall have the authority by two-third (2/3) vote to disapprove any individuals(s) submitted 
by the committee Chairmen. 

ARTICLE VI 

COMMITTEES 

SECTION 1. Special Committees. Special Committees may be appointed by the 
President as appropriate. 

 Convention Coordinating Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the 

 President to plan the Annual Meeting and to work with the Coordinator of 

 Elections in developing the Annual Election Law Seminar. 

SECTION 2. Standing Committees. The following Standing Committees are hereby 
created and will be chaired by the respective Officer of the Association. 

1. Resolution/Legislative Committee. This committee will prepare recommendations for 
needed legislation and amendments of the State election laws. The committee will work 
with the Officers of the Association to promote the passage of such legislation and also for 
the defeat of any legislation detrimental to the Association or to the election process. 
Committees and/or members may submit matters for consideration by the Association to 
the Resolution/Legislative Committee. This Committee shall prepare the appropriate 
resolution or draft legislation and shall disseminate such proposals along with a 
recommendation from the Committee for passage or non-passage by the Executive 
Committee. The President shall serve as Chairman of the Resolution/Legislative 
Committee. 

2. Budget and Finance Committee. This committee will develop and administer an annual 
operating budget for T.A.C.E.O. and for the Annual Meeting. It will also be responsible for 
the fiscal affairs of all standing committees and for developing policies relative to 
reimbursement of members for expense incurred in the performance of their duties for the 
Association. 

3. Nominating Committee. This committee shall be appointed by the President and shall 
be chaired by the immediate past President. It shall be appointed on or before February 1 
of the year in which the elections are held. 

4. Voter Outreach Committee. This committee will study and recommend improvements 
through the State voter registration laws; consider implementing a voter education 
program on behalf of T.A.C.E.O.; and staff any study committees created by the legislature 
to study voter participation in Tennessee. The education of potential registrants and ways 
to increase voter turnout such as through public service announcements will be the major 
program of this committee. This committee will be chaired by a regional Vice-president. 

5. Election Administration Committee. This committee will study and recommend 
improvements to all forms used in the administration of elections and will serve as a 
clearinghouse for ideas and information relative to the computerization of election offices. 
This committee will be chaired by a regional Vice-president. 

6. Occupational Committees. The occupational committees are as follows: 

 ....Registrars, Commissioners and Technicians. They will be chaired by the 

 appropriate Regional Vice-president. 

 .These committees will serve as central location for the sharing of ideas and 

 problems relative to each occupation. 

7. By-Laws Committee. This committee will study and recommend improvements to the 
Association By-Laws for consideration by the membership at an Annual Meeting or any 
other membership meeting. The President shall serve as Chairman of the By-Laws 
Committee. 

ARTICLE VII 

Newsletter of the Association 

SECTION 1. Newsletter. “The Tally Sheet” shall be the official publication of the 
Tennessee Association of County Election Officials. It shall serve to disperse information 
to the membership of the Association. 

SECTION 2. “The Tally Sheet” Editor. The editor of “The Tally Sheet” shall be appointed 
by the President of the Association each year. “The Tally Sheet” Editor shall be 

responsible for the preparation and circulation of the newsletter to the Administrator of 
Elections in each county who will be responsible for the distribution to the membership of 
the association within their county. The Tally Sheet may be distributed by electronic 
means. 

SECTION 3. Notices. Any notice required to be given by these By-Laws shall be 
accomplished by publication in “The Tally Sheet” and distribution of “The Tally Sheet” to 
the membership of the Association. 

ARTICLE VIII 

VACANCIES 

A vacancy occurring in any elective office shall be filled by nomination and majority vote by 
the Executive Committee for the unexpired term. An Officer elected to fill an unexpired 
term of less than one year is eligible to succeed himself/herself for (1) full two-year term. 

ARTICLE IX 

AMENDMENTS 

SECTION 1. Amending By-Laws. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds 
majority (2/3) vote of the voting members present at the annual Meeting, or any other 
membership meeting, provided the wording of the proposed amendment shall be set forth 
pursuant to Section 3 of Article VII at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. 

amendments: 

2009