(The Center Square) – Qualifying for a special election to fill U.S. Rep. Mark Green’s seat ends Aug. 12 at noon, with the primary election set for Oct. 4, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said Thursday.
The general election is Dec. 2.
Green officially resigned from Congress on July 4 to start what he called a business that is “specifically designed to help America compete against the CCP, but this time in business,” he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. His last official day in Congress was Sunday.
Several candidates from both sides have lined up to run for the 7th district seat, which includes 14 counties in west and middle Tennessee. Green threw his support behind Republican Matt Van Epps, the former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services.
“He will stand side by side with President Trump to deliver on the America First agenda that puts Tennessee first,” Green said in a statement posted by Epps.
Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson; Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight; and combat veteran Jon Thorpe are also in the race for the Republican nomination.
Nashville Democratic state Reps. Vincent Dixie Bo Mitchell and Aftyn Behn are also running.
Early voting for the primary election begins Sept. 17 and ends Oct. 2, according to Hargett’s office. Residents have until Sept. 8 to register to vote in the primary.
Polls will be open for early voting for the general election from Nov. 12-26. The voter registration deadline is Nov. 3.
Green served in the Tennessee Senate from 2013 to 2018. He won Tennessee’s 7th District in 2018 after incumbent Marsha Blackburn decided to run for U.S. Senate.
