Tennessee State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2022
Tennessee Senate District 8
A district of about 214,000 people, 20% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+65.9 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Jessie Seal (R) · won83.6%
- R. E. Ellison (D)16.4%
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 33 seats
Every Tennessee State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
15 races since 1968. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2024 | Jessie Seal (R) | R. E. Ellison (D) | 67.1 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Frank S. Niceley (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2016 | Frank S. Niceley (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2012 | Frank S. Niceley (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Doug Overbey (R) | Ira Lapides (I) | 63.5 |
| 2004 | Raymond Finney (R) | Linda Jo Dees (D) | 38.7 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Bill Clabough (R) | Jeff D. Boling (D) | 45.7 |
| 1996 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | Mae S. Owenby (D) | 0.4 |
| 1992 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | Vernon Scarbrough (D) | 17.6 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | Charles Amos (D) | 41.6 |
| 1984 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | William C. Amos (D) | 45.5 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | F. D. Gibson III (D) | 27.5 |
| 1976 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 1972 | Carl Koella Jr. (R) | Leonard O. Evans (D) | 31.4 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1968 | Houston M. Goddard (R) | — | Unopposed |
Primaries: 1988 Republican primary · 1984 Republican primary · 1980 Republican primary · 1976 Republican primary
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 8
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 8's area in each.
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| President | R+71.3 |
| U.S. Senate | R+67.6 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 33 seats. Small marks are other seats in Tennessee. The black marker is District 8.
Lower than 88% of seats.
Higher than 97% of seats.
Lower than 66% of seats.
Lowest of 33 seats.
Lower than 75% of seats.
Less dense than 75% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 121% college gradsR+61.6Held RDistrict 15
22% college gradsR+56.6Held RDistrict 16
TennesseeR+57.7Not up in 2026District 9
TennesseeR+62.8Held R
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET