Hooker seeks ruling on Tenn. ballot measure votes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Independent gubernatorial candidate John Jay Hooker, a leading opponent of efforts to enshrine judicial merit selection into the Tennessee Constitution, wants the state Supreme Court to weigh in on which votes should be counted in next week’s election.
The official interpretation of the state constitution has been that proposed amendments must receive a majority of the equivalent of the number of votes cast in the governor’s race.
But Hooker in a letter to Gov. Bill Haslam on Tuesday argues that only voters who cast actual ballots in the governor’s race should be able to have their votes counted on the amendments.
Hooker is also demanding the resignation of Chief Justice Sharon Lee for sending a letter to lawyers around the state urging support of the merit selection amendment.
