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Open letter from several local elected officials on gerrymandering effort:

Clarksville is a growing, vibrant community that deserves fair, transparent and consistent representation. Gerrymandering is a threat to democracy. When district lines are drawn to serve political interests rather than the people, it undermines the core principle that voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.

We oppose the corrupt redrawing of our Congressional district in the middle of an election cycle being considered in this week’s special legislative session. Any effort to redraw district lines to divide and dilute the voices of Clarksville residents should be rejected.

That Clarksville representation could be disrupted as the state Legislature attempts to dilute the voting power of Memphis, one of Tennessee’s majority Black cities, is an insult to the legacy of the Voting Rights Act and the civil rights movement. This is voter suppression of our Black and minority communities.

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Carving up our city for political gain also creates unnecessary confusion for residents. We just had an election for District 7 in December, and candidates are already filed in the 2026 election. Candidates in the current election have already filed and qualified to run. Clarksville residents deserve clarity, stability, and representation that reflects the integrity of our community, not lines drawn for convenience or advantage.

Gerrymandering can fracture communities that share common needs, histories and priorities. Instead of keeping neighborhoods intact, it can split them apart, diluting the collective voices and making it harder to advocate for resources like schools, infrastructure and public safety.

We urge the Montgomery County delegation to reject any proposals that gerrymander Clarksville in ways that undermine fair representation.

  • Ronnie Glynn, State Representative, District 67
  • Rashidah Leverett, Montgomery County Commissioner, District 5
  • Jeremiah Walker, Montgomery County Commissioner, District 10
  • Carmelle Chandler, Montgomery County Commissioner, District 12
  • Lisa Prichard, Montgomery County Commissioner, District 16
  • Chris Rasnic, Montgomery County Commissioner, District 17
  • Brian Zacharias, Clarksville City Councilmember, Ward 1
  • Wanda Smith, Clarksville City Councilmember, Ward 6
  • Carol Berry, Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board Member, District 1
  • Jimmie Garland, Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board Member, District 5
  • Tiffany Perkins, Montgomery County Election Commissioner
  • Allie Phillips, Candidate for State Representative, District 75
  • Merriel Bullock Neal, Candidate for Montgomery County General Sessions/Juvenile Judge
  • Isaac Greenwood, Candidate for Montgomery County Mayor
  • Dexter Mines, Candidate for Montgomery County Sheriff
  • Monica Meeks, Candidate for Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk
  • Charles Uffelman, Candidate for Clarksville City Council, Ward 6
  • Rebecca Janssen, Candidate for Montgomery County Commission, District 7
  • Lekeisha Hicks, Candidate for Montgomery County Commission, District 9
  • Adrian Dailey, Candidate for Montgomery County Commission, District 14
  • Tiffany Manning, Candidate for Montgomery County Commission, District 18
  • Alexander Pegram, Candidate for Montgomery County Commission, District 19
  • Renee Bruens, Candidate for Montgomery County Commission, District 20
  • Darryl Anderson, Candidate for Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board, District 3
  • Jacqueline Burton, Candidate for Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board, District 5
  • Duana Hall, Candidate for Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board, District 7
  • K’prience B. London, Candidate for State Executive Committee-Woman, District 22
  • Christine McKinney, Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party

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