A Davidson County woman who set her sights on the Democratic nomination for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District has been shut out of the August primary ballot after a chancery court refused to step in. In a May 22 order, the court declined to grant injunctive relief, leaving in place a March party finding that she is not a “bona fide” Democrat. Elizabeth Stephens had asked the judge to force the Tennessee Democratic Party to certify her for the August 6 primary.
According to WZTV, Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal denied Stephens’ request for a temporary injunction on May 22 and wrote that the dispute was one “that the TNDP decides, not the courts.” The station reports that on March 12, the Tennessee Democratic Party concluded Stephens was not a bona fide Democrat and sent her a written notice the following day. Stephens filed suit on March 23, arguing the party’s move was “arbitrary and capricious,” violated her due-process rights, and should be halted so the state could not finalize the August ballot without her name.
Court calendars show that a temporary-injunction hearing went forward on May 20 under Docket No. 26-0363-I, according to the Chancery Clerk and Master of Metro Nashville & Davidson County. The docket identifies the case as Elizabeth Stephens v. Tennessee Democratic Party and confirms the matter was heard as a petition for a temporary injunction. Public filings and local reporting indicate that Stephens represented herself, while attorney Martin F. Schubert appeared on behalf of the party.
How the Party Decides Who Runs
The Tennessee Democratic Party’s bylaws give the State Executive Committee the power to decide whether a candidate is a “bona fide” Democrat and to handle county-level challenges and appeals. As laid out in the Tennessee Democratic Party bylaws, that status turns on a candidate’s record of public service, actions, writings, or public statements that show loyalty to the party’s interests. Those internal rules, combined with state law that recognizes party control over nominations, framed the review that ended with Stephens’ disqualification.
What the Judge Said
In the court papers, Moskal wrote that “this is a political matter that the TNDP decides, not the courts,” underscoring that political parties have constitutionally protected rights to define their membership and choose their nominees. She also concluded that “candidates for political office hold no such interest in an electoral position,” reasoning that Stephens did not have a protected property or liberty interest in appearing on a party primary ballot. Those findings were summarized by WZTV in its reporting on the order.
Ballot Timeline and What’s Next
Public petition records from Metro Nashville list an Elizabeth O. Stephens as a petitioner for U.S. House District 5 earlier this year, showing she took the initial steps to qualify for the Democratic primary. The county’s paperwork also confirms that the state’s August primary is scheduled for August 6, 2026, and election officials are moving ahead to prepare ballots without Stephens’ name unless a higher court intervenes. With the request for a temporary injunction denied, the party’s certification decision stays in place while the broader lawsuit continues.
Legal Implications
The ruling tracks longstanding precedent that grants private political parties significant leeway under the First Amendment to define membership and select nominees, and the chancery court leaned on that principle in turning down emergency relief. The party’s bylaws and the statutory framework for primary boards set up internal procedures for certifying candidates and resolving challenges, a system the court treated as the proper arena for this fight. Stephens can still seek review in higher courts, but with no injunction in place, the August ballot will be finalized without her name unless another court orders a change.
