Filed Date: Nov. 5, 2018
Closed Date: Jan. 8, 2019
Clearinghouse coding complete
This case is about the alleged illegal purging of a voter registration in Tennesse.
On October 30, 2018, a Tennessee resident attempted to cast a ballot in the November 6, 2018 election, but was told that she was not on the list of registered voters and was not allowed to cast a ballot for the Election. On November 5, 2018, the plaintiff filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The plaintiff sued the Robertson County Election Commissions under the National Voter Registration Act, 52 U.S.C. § 20501 (NVRA), represented by private counsel. The plaintiff sought a declaration that the defendant violated Section 20507(b) of the NVRA, a temporary and permanent injunction prohibiting the defendant from continuing to violate the NVRA, and a temporary and permanent injunction requiring the defendant to register the plaintiff to vote and allow the plaintiff to vote in the Election. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant was required to send the plaintiff a letter informing her of her pending purge before the defendant purged the plaintiff from the voter rolls pursuant to Section 20507(b) of the NVRA. The case was assigned to Judge Waverly D, Crenshaw.
On November 5, 2018, the plaintiff filed a motion for a preliminary injunction. The plaintiff requested immediate action since the election would be held the following day. Following the filing of this lawsuit, the defendant reinstated the plaintiff’s registration and the plaintiff cast a vote in the election.
On January 4, 2019, the consent permanent injunction order (Consent Order) was issued. In the Consent Order, the court found and ordered (1) the defendant reinstated the plaintiff’s registration and the plaintiff cast a vote in the election, (2) the defendant shall continue to list the plaintiff as a registered voter and shall not purge the plaintiff’s registration except in accordance with the provisions of Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-106, and (3) upon entry of this order, the clerk is directed to issue judgment consistent with this Consent Order and the case is dismissed with prejudice.
On January 8, 2019, the judgment was entered regarding the Consent Order.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Natalia Fava de Almeida (10/31/2022)
Kazuki Fujita (2/3/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/8135775/parties/hicks-v-robertson-county-election-commission/
Crenshaw, Waverly David (Tennessee)
Gastel, Benjamin A. (Tennessee)
Orlandi, Anthony A. (Tennessee)
Stranch, James Gerard (Tennessee)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/8135775/hicks-v-robertson-county-election-commission/
Last updated Aug. 8, 2025, 7:34 a.m.
State / Territory: Tennessee
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 5, 2018
Closing Date: Jan. 8, 2019
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A Tennessee resident who was told by the poll worker that the plaintiff was not on the list of registered voters and was not allowed to cast a ballot for the next election.
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
ROBERTSON COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION (Robertson County, Robertson), County
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Order Duration: 2019 - None
Issues
Voting: