Tennessee Code Title 2. Elections § 2-16-204

(a)(1) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, an independent or primary candidate who qualified under chapter 5, part 1 of this title for the 2026 primary or general election, as applicable, prior to the effective date of this act is not required to submit a new nominating petition pursuant to subsection (b).

(b)(1) A special qualifying period is established for the 2026 primary or general election.  The qualifying deadline under this section is twelve o'clock (12:00) noon, prevailing time, on May 15, 2026.

(2) Nominating petitions must be furnished by the county election commission or coordinator of elections.  A nominating petition for the 2026 primary or general election must include at least twenty-five (25) signatures from registered voters residing anywhere within any county that lies wholly or partially within the congressional district.

(3) Each independent or primary candidate shall file the candidate's original nominating petition with the coordinator of elections and a certified duplicate with the chair of the appropriate party's state executive committee, in the case of primary candidates, by the qualifying deadline.  The coordinator of elections shall maintain a copy of the original petition for the state election commission.

(4) The coordinator of elections shall, as soon as practicable after the deadline in subsection (c), certify to the chair of each county election commission the names of each candidate who has qualified under this section to have the candidate's name placed on the ballot for the 2026 primary or general election, as applicable.

(5) A candidate who qualifies during the special qualifying period established pursuant to this subsection (b) is not permitted to withdraw after the qualifying deadline.