# Tennessee to Expel 3 Democrats (update: all back in office) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 4, 2023, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128 "2023-04-04T12:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/121 "2023-04-11T15:52:54Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > But what if they did? Is that a reference to this? > **[But What If We Didn’t](https://whatever.scalzi.com/2021/01/07/but-what-if-we-didnt/)** > > I have a theory about the Republican Party, and it is that around the time Newt Gingrich became the head of its brain trust, the GOP added a fourth functioning principle to its previous tripod of &… ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/122 "2023-04-11T15:54:22Z")
Yes. I think that’s one of the defining characteristics of the R’s these days. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/123 "2023-04-11T16:17:48Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Genuine question-40 people? Is that a common size for a city council? From my experience with much smaller town boards I would think it difficult to get much done. However, I’m quite willing to grant that Nashville knows more about how to do Nashville than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/124 "2023-04-11T16:32:15Z")
I just looked it up, and Cleveland has 17. Google also helpfully informed me that NYC has the largest council of any city in the US, at 51 members. So, yeah, 40 for a moderate-sized city like Nashville does sound like an awful lot. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/125 "2023-04-11T17:10:03Z")
Chicago has 50. Los Angeles has 15. No rhyme or reason as far as I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/126 "2023-04-11T17:43:54Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Huh. I just looked up another large city as an example and Philly only has 17. I just looked up Los Angeles, because I couldn’t remember the exact number, and it’s only 15\*. \*(City Councilpersons, that is) ETA: Dammit. I should have looked at the last post before mine! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/127 "2023-04-11T17:54:50Z")
Portland OR only has 5! Well, for now. They’re going to a new city government organization with 12 councillors next year. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/128 "2023-04-11T19:57:55Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Genuine question-40 people? Is that a common size for a city council? It’s not just a city council. It’s a city/county council. [Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Council_of_Nashville_and_Davidson_County) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/129 "2023-04-11T20:04:55Z")
Gotcha all beat, I bet. In British Columbia, Greater Victoria, population 368,000, is comprised of 13 municipalities, with 13 mayors and 78 councillors. 91 elected politicians for 368,000 people. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/130 "2023-04-11T20:08:04Z")
Just as a bit of interesting information, the opposite extreme is represented by Los Angeles County (not the city). Five members of the county board of supervisors for a population of almost 10 million. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/131 "2023-04-11T20:14:42Z")
Eh, in urban areas, county governments are often just an afterthought, since the city does almost all of the governmenting. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/132 "2023-04-11T20:17:40Z")
The New Hampshire State House has 400 members for 1.3 million people. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/133 "2023-04-11T20:46:03Z")
LA City and County are not the same exactly. Lots of LA County not in the City. Some of _those_ areas are in cities with their own governments, but not all are. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/134 "2023-04-11T22:06:39Z")
St. Louis just reduced its Board of Aldermen from 28 to 14. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > In British Columbia, Greater Victoria, population 368,000, is comprised of 13 municipalities, with 13 mayors and 78 councillors. > > 91 elected politicians for 368,000 people. Come to St. Louis County, Missouri. Population 997,000. 85 municipalities, each with a mayor and anywhere from 3-7 council members. (There used to be more!) Greater Victoria, one municipality for approximately every 28,000 people. St. Louis County, one municipality for approximately every 12,000 people. The smallest one has a population of 12. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/135 "2023-04-11T22:16:19Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > St. Louis County, one municipality for approximately every 12,000 people. The smallest one has a population of 12. That sounds like being a jury foreperson. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/136 "2023-04-11T23:45:29Z")
I lived in NH for 20 years (as an adult; I miss that place). I listened to NHPR every day. I read a number of local news sources. The number of times I can recall them doing anything of note can be counted on one hand. My local rep used to run the bobcat at the place I used to get my landscape materials. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/137 "2023-04-12T18:55:41Z")
justin pearson has been reinstated to his seat (per cnn). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/138 "2023-04-12T19:01:53Z")
So is that all 3 then? If so, I’ll update the title of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/139 "2023-04-12T19:05:36Z")
It is. All 3 are back or still in the Tennessee State Legislature. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128/140 "2023-04-12T19:05:58Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > So is that all 3 then? I believe so. Below is a link to a CNN story confirming Pearson’s re-appointment. > **[April 12, 2023 Second ousted lawmaker headed back to Tennessee House](https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/tennessee-vote-justin-pearson-04-12-23/index.html)** > > The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday at a special meeting in Memphis to appoint Justin J. Pearson to the Tennessee House of Representatives seat he was expelled from last week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-to-expel-3-democrats-update-all-back-in-office/982128.md?page=8)