Second Tennessee Democrat Reinstated to Seat He Was Ousted From

The Shelby County Commission has voted 7-0 in a special called meeting during Wednesday afternoon, April 12, to reinstate Justin Pearson to the seat he was ousted from last week in the Tennessee General Assembly. Pearson, 29, who represents parts of Memphis in Shelby County, is one of the two black Democrat lawmakers that were expelled from 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.

The other expelled Democrat, Justin Jones, was reinstated to his seat by the Metro Nashville Council on Monday. Both Jones and Pearson will hold their seats until a special election is held later this year, in which they are both eligible to run.

The state’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 Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, to call for the special election, and state law provides that 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.

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, while no Republicans were present at the meeting.

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. Pearson then addressed the commission and thanked them for their support.

Earlier in the day, Pearson met with supporters at the National Civil Rights Museum, marching with them to the Shelby County Commission building. Hundreds of his supporters walked with him, alongside Jones and the spared Democrat, Gloria Johnson.

Pearson also mentioned that the state faces a problem with gun violence and criticized the policies and practices of the state legislature of Tennessee.