Tennessee’s 2025 special redistricting legislative session: a photo gallery

Tennessee’s 2025 special redistricting legislative session: a photo gallery
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State Sens. London Lamar and Raumesh Akbari of Memphis and Charlane Oliver of Nashville, all Democrats, speak to a crowd of people protesting a GOP-led redistricting plan in the Tennessee Capitol on May 6, 2026. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Day 1: Tuesday, May 5

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Antricia gordon with the equity alliance was one of dozens of protesters waiting for state lawmakers to arrive at the legislative garage on the morning of may 5. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Sen. Brent taylor, a memphis republican, arrives at the cordell hull legislative building amid protests. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Sen. London lamar of memphis addresses a crowd outside the tennessee capitol prior to the opening of the legislative session. To the right is sen. Raumesh akbari of memphis and rep. Shaundelle brooks of memphis. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Hundreds of tennesseans protesting the republican-led legislature’s move to redraw congressional maps less than 12 weeks before the primary election packed into the tennessee capitol. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Chelea madden shouts at members of a house of representatives committee setting rules for the special session. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Lt. Gov. Randy mcnally is escorted through a crowd in the tennessee capitol rotunda by his security detail. (photo: john partpilo/tennessee lookout)

Day 2: Wednesday, May 6

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Willis lincoln “t. J. ” hardaway was sworn into office at 7:30 a. M. On wednesday. He will fill the seat vacated when his farther, rep. G. A. Hardaway, died april 24. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Democratic reps. John ray clemmons, right, of nashville, and antonio parkinson, in hat, of memphis, view the newly-drawn congressional maps that were released at 9 a. M. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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U. S. Rep. Steve cohen, who currently holds tennessee house district 9, and national voting rights advocate stacey abrams wait to testify before a house committee. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Walter bailey, a memphis lawyer who served as counsel to rev. Martin luther king, jr. , testified before a senate committee about the effect of diluting the power of black voters in memphis. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Women react angrily after a house committee votes to approve a new congressional map. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Republican lawmakers kick back in house chambers. From left, reps. Rusty grills, jason zachary, mark cochran, brock martin and chris todd. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)

Day 3: Thursday, May 7

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Keshaun pearson, brother of rep. Justin j. Pearson, a memphis democrat, was arrested by state troopers after refusing his leave his seat when troopers cleared the house gallery of spectators. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee looko
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House majority leader william lamberth points toward democratic lawmakers after the final house vote on the maps. Members of the crowd blew whistles as republicans voted to pass the maps. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Sen. John stevens, a huntingdon republican, sponsor of the tennessee gop redistricting plan dividing memphis into three, presenting his bill. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Tennessee sen. Charlane oliver, a nashville democrat, unfurled a large sign reading “no jim crow 2. 0, stop the tn steal” while standing on her desk during debate thursday on a gop-led redistricting plan to slice majority black memphis into three districts. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Lt. Gov. Randy mcnally said, after the legislature adjourned, that sen. Charlane oliver’s move to stand on her desk was and “outrageous and unprecedented display. ” (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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“i never thought — as a mother of a child so many of you all love that you refer to as baby senator — that my baby will have less rights than his grandmother,” a tearful sen. London lamar, pictured here after the vote, said to her senate colleagues. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Tennessee highway patrol officers lining the tennessee capitol to create a pathway by which state senators could leave. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)
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Memphis sen. Raumesh akbari, flanked by nashville democratic sen. Charlane oliver and democratic rep. Justin pearson of memphis with other democratic lawmakers following the adjournment of the special legislative session. (photo: john partipilo/tennessee lookout)


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