Following the scandal of leaked audio recordings of Trump's so-called "locker room talk," Governor Haslam called for him to step aside so that his running mate, Mike Pence, could run. However, state election officials said changes to November's ballot were impossible.
Even with the changes not being possible, that hasn't stopped some Republicans from asking their party's nominee to step aside.
“It is time for the good of the nation and the Republican Party for Donald Trump to step aside and let Gov. Mike Pence assume the role as the party’s nominee," Gov. Pence said in a statement Sunday. "If he does not step aside, I will write in a Republican for the Office of President."
Yet, those options are also limited, with only eight people certified as write-in candidates.
"There may be a little misconception that you can write in whatever name you want. and that's true, you can write in whatever name you want," said Adam Ghassemi, director of communications for the Tennessee Secretary of State's office. "But unless the name you write in is one of the certified candidates, it will not be counted."
In Tennessee, the standards to become a write-in candidate aren't high. A person only needs a vice president and signatures from 11 electors, which must be filed by a September deadline.
While election officials said it's too late for any more candidate to be added to the ballot, legal analysts said it is possible, though unlikely, that a major party candidate could force a change by dropping out.
"It's theoretically possible, but I'd say given the timing we have, and given the fact Donald Trump says he's not going to get off the ballot and Mike Pence says he's standing shoulder to shoulder with him, it's just not likely to happen at all," said legal analyst Pat Nolan.
Nolan said now that early voting has started in some states, a forced change could send election results to court, threatening an unknown and unprecedented outcome.
"It would start in state court, may wind up in federal court, and possibly go onto the Supreme Court," Nolan said. "But the Supreme Court is not fully staffed, so if they deadlocked at 4-4, it's an unknown. There is no authority above the Supreme Court to make that decision."
Voter registration ends in Tennessee on Tuesday, October 11. For information on how to register, go to www.govotetn.com.
