RELEASE: Voters Elect Pro-Immigrant Champions to Nashville Metro Council
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 12, 2019
CONTACT: Hamp Price, hamp@tirrcvotes.org
Voters Elect Pro-Immigrant Champions to Nashville Metro Council
After More Than 14,000 Doors Knocked, 21 TIRRC Votes-Endorsed Candidates Win
NASHVILLE - Nashville voters elected 21 pro-immigrant champions to the Metro Council tonight, according to TIRRC Votes, an organization dedicated to building political power in Tennessee’s immigrant and refugee communities. TIRRC Votes directed its power and resources to electing a historically diverse and progressive council that can drive a pro-immigrant agenda in the city.
For Nashville’s municipal election cycle, TIRRC Votes ran one of the largest voter mobilization campaigns in Davidson County. In the months leading up to the August 1 general election and tonight’s runoff, the TIRRC Votes team — comprised of more than 60 young people from more than 25 countries — contacted more than 42,000 voters, knocked on more than 14,000 doors and made nearly 2,000 phone calls to immigrant voters.
“In this historic moment, city governments have a critical role to play in protecting immigrant families and defending our values. Pro-immigrant voters knew how much was at stake and shaped the outcome of this election,” said Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of TIRRC Votes. “Voters sent a clear message tonight that Nashville should be a place where all of us feel safe and welcome, no matter where we’re from or the color of our skin.”
Leading up to Nashville’s runoff election, immigration was a major issue on the minds of voters, as recent national and local events have demonstrated the urgent need for Metro government to enact clear policies to separate the work of city agencies and protect residents from deportation. This newly elected council puts Nashville in its strongest position ever to advance meaningful policy change and cast a new vision of belonging in our communities.
TIRRC Votes is also celebrating the historic victories of Sandra Sepulveda and Zulfat Suara. Sepulveda, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, won her race in District 30, making her the first Latina elected to the Metro Council. Suara was elected to serve as one of the county’s at-large council members. She is the first immigrant in Nashville to win a countywide council race, the first African immigrant, and the first Muslim to be elected to the council.
“Nashville’s immigrant community and allies worked hard to elect a Metro Council that better reflects the diversity of our community and our shared values,” Teatro said. “The council has a clear mandate to take bold and meaningful action to protect immigrant communities from deportation and invest in our shared prosperity. We look forward to partnering with all of the newly elected officials to make Nashville a truly welcoming city.”
Launched in 2018, TIRRC Votes, emerged as a major force in city government this cycle. In May, the TIRRC Votes campaign launch party drew 500 people and the Immigrant & Refugee Candidate Forum on June 10 drew more than 700 people. These two events were among the most-attended of any political event in the city during this election season.
TIRRC Votes Endorsed Candidates Elected on September 12
At Large Council Members:
Burkley Allen
Sharon Hurt
Zulfat Suara
Council District 2:
Kyonztè Toombs
Council District 7:
Emily Benedict
Council District 13:
Russ Bradford
Council District 16:
Ginny Welsch
Council District 21:
Brandon Taylor
Council District 30:
Sandra Sepulveda
TIRRC Votes Endorsed Candidates Elected on August 1
Vice Mayor:
Jim Shulman
At Large Council Members:
Bob Mendes
Council District 5:
Councilmember-Elect Sean Parker
District 8:
Councilmember Nancy VanReece
District 17:
Councilmember Colby Sledge
District 19:
Councilmember Freddie O’Connell
District 20:
Councilmember Mary Carolyn Roberts
District 22:
Councilmember-Elect Gloria Hausser
District 29:
Councilmember Delishia Porterfield
District 31:
Councilmember-Elect John Rutherford
District 32:
Councilmember-Elect Joy Styles
District 33:
Councilmember Antionette Lee