NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There's a lot left to deal with before it's all said and done, but Metro Council would look very different under the law the legislature just passed.
Half of the desks in Metro Council chambers would be gone.
Nashville's election administrator Jeff Roberts is only four months removed from an election marred by mistakes where ballots got in the hands of the wrong voters, due in part to what he says were the recently re-drawn district lines.
Now with the threat of Metro Council district lines having to be redrawn to accommodate a 20-member council possibly in just a matter of months, Roberts says his office is in a holding pattern until Metro Council tells them to go ahead.
Meanwhile, the Metro Council and Mayor elections that were already planned are coming up in August, including some candidates who have already begun raising money for districts that may soon no longer exist.
Councilwoman Delishia Porterfield says all of this will create chaos for candidates, campaign donors and voters who have no idea what district they may end up in, not to mention where to go and vote after another redistricting.
"Now people who have voted in two different precincts in two elections now may have to vote in a third precinct in a third election and its just very, very confusing," Porterfield said.
For now, Roberts says they're proceeding ahead with August elections as scheduled under the existing districts until they're told otherwise.
