Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 1 and Title 2, Chapter 13.

This bill revises present law provisions relative to political parties, as follows: (1) Under present law, any group or organization may file a petition with the coordinator of elections to become a recognized minor party. That petition must bear at a minimum the signatures of registered voters equal to 2.5 percent of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election for governor. This bill decreases the number of signatures required from 2.5 to 0.5 percent of such votes cast; (2) Under present law, a statewide political party means a political party at least one of whose candidates for an office to be elected by voters of the entire state has received a number of votes equal to at least 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election of governor. This bill increases the votes required to be considered a statewide political party from 5 to 25 percent of such votes cast; (3) Under present law, for purposes of a general or primary election, if an organization intends to establish a recognized minor party solely within one county, the petition must, among other things, bear the signatures of registered voters within such county equal to at least 2.5 percent of the total number of votes cast within such county for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election for governor. This bill decreases the percentage required from 2.5 percent to 0.5 percent; and (4) Under present law, if a petition to be recognized as a minor party is determined to be sufficient, then the party is recognized as a minor party for all remaining primary and general elections in the current election year. However, if the recognized minor party is established solely within one county, at least one candidate for the recognized minor party must have received a number of votes equal to at least 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for candidates for the office of county mayor in the most recent election for such office. To maintain recognition beyond the current election year, a minor party must meet the requirements of a statewide political party as defined by present law. This bill: (A) Removes the requirement that a minor party meet the requirements of a statewide political party to maintain recognition; (B) Decreases the applicable percentage of votes required if the minor party is established solely in one county from 5 percent to 1 percent; and (C) Adds that if the recognized minor party is established statewide, at least one candidate for the recognized minor party must have received a number of votes equal to at least 1 percent of the total number of votes cast for candidates for the office of governor in the most recent election for such office in order to maintain recognition. ON MARCH 17, 2022, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1. HOUSE BILL 2067, AS AMENDED, FAILED TO RECEIVE A CONSITUTIONAL MAJORITY AND WAS RE-REFERRED TO CALENDAR AND RULES. AMENDMENT #1 specifies, in regard to the provisions described above in the bill summary in (3) for an organization intending to establish a recognized minor party solely within one county, the petition must bear the signatures of registered voters within such county equal to at least 0.5 percent but not less than 25 of the total number of votes cast within such county for gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election for governor.