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Our call — vote YES
The measure
Amendment 1 is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on Tennessee's November 3, 2026 ballot. Tennessee's constitution currently allows bail to be denied only for capital offenses. The amendment would remove the right to bail where the proof is evident or the presumption great for a defined list: capital offenses, acts of terrorism, second-degree murder, aggravated rape of a child, aggravated rape, grave torture, and any other offense for which a convicted person could not be released before serving at least 85% of the sentence. A judge or magistrate must record the reasons for granting or denying bail.
What YES does
A yes vote lets courts hold defendants accused of the most serious violent offenses without bail, with the judge's reasoning on the record.
What NO does
A no vote keeps every non-capital defendant entitled to bail, however grave the charge and proof.
The math
No fiscal note for this measure was published on its Ballotpedia page.
OUR CALL
Our call: YES.
Bail exists to guarantee a defendant appears for trial — it was never meant to guarantee the release of someone charged, on strong proof, with murder, child rape, torture, or terrorism. The amendment is narrow (a defined list of the gravest offenses), conditioned (proof evident or presumption great), and accountable (the judge must state reasons in the record). Protecting the public from demonstrably dangerous defendants is a core function of government. Vote yes.
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Sources
- Ballotpedia — Tennessee Amendment 1 measure page (accessed October 25, 2026)
- Ballotpedia — 2026 ballot measures — https://ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.