Tennessee Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Respond to County Election Commission’s Refusal to Put Gun Violence Prevention Questions on the Ballot in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety's grassroots network, issued the following statement in response to the Shelby County Election Commission's decision not to include gun violence prevention referendums on the ballot for Memphis voters. The County Election Commission's decision overrides the Memphis City Council, which approved several gun violence prevention referendums for the November election in a July vote. Earlier this week, the Republican Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor threatened to withhold sales tax revenue from Memphis if the questions were included on the ballot. The Secretary of State's office has also spoken out against the referendums.

"Tennessee is a national leader in gun violence and gun deaths, yet extremist lawmakers are actively preventing the City of Memphis from taking steps to stop preventable gun violence. If state leaders refuse to protect Tennesseans, the least they can do is allow cities like Memphis to take action. Instead, state leaders have resorted to threats and bullying," said Mary Powers, a Memphis resident and volunteer with the Tennessee Chapter of Moms Demand Action. "Local leaders know their communities best and want to give voters a platform to voice their support for common-sense gun safety policies. Our government should listen rather than block attempts to build safer communities."

The Tennessee state legislature has the sole power to regulate access to firearms under the state's preemption law, and over the past several years, it has stridently rolled back some of the few gun safety laws the state still has on the books. Preemption laws stop local gun violence prevention strategies and efforts before they even start. These laws prevent communities facing high rates of gun violence from enacting local solutions to address their specific gun violence problems. Cities have had no recourse as state lawmakers erased the carry permit requirement and allowed teachers to bring guns into the classroom. Meanwhile, Memphis continues to face extremely high levels of gun violence.

Tennessee currently has the 12th highest rate of gun deaths in the United States and some of the weakest gun laws in the country. Gun deaths and injuries cost Tennessee $18.0 billion each year, of which $415.5 million is paid by taxpayers. Guns are the number one killer of children and teens in the U.S. and Tennessee.

To speak with a Tennessee Moms Demand Action volunteer, please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected].