The corporate name of a municipality may be changed only in the following manner:

(1) The proposed name change must be approved by resolution by a vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the board in the manner provided for ordinances in § 6-2-102;
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 6-1-502

  • Board: means the mayor and the aldermen. See Tennessee Code 6-1-101
  • County: means the county in which any such city or territory to be incorporated under chapters 30-36 of this title is located, or in which the major portion of the population of any such city or territory to be incorporated is located as indicated by the last federal census. See Tennessee Code 6-30-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(2) If approved by the board, the resolution shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality within fourteen (14) days of final approval by the board or the first available opportunity for publication, whichever is sooner. Such resolution shall become operative sixty (60) days after its adoption by the board unless ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of the municipality sign a petition and present it to the board during such sixty-day period requesting that the resolution be referred to the electors, in which case it must receive the approval of a majority of the electors voting thereon at an election held as provided in subdivision (3). If such a petition is not received within such sixty-day period, the resolution shall become operative at the end of such sixty-day period and the mayor shall file a copy of the resolution indicating the new corporate name of the municipality with the secretary of state;
(3) Upon receipt of a petition filed in the manner provided in subdivision (2), a certified copy of the resolution shall be sent to the county election commission, which shall place the question whether to approve the resolution on the ballot of the next scheduled municipal election or general election at which members of the general assembly are chosen, whichever is sooner. The ballot shall provide options to vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” the resolution. The qualifications for voting shall be the same as otherwise provided in § 6-1-204 in the election to adopt the original charter under this chapter;
(4) If the majority vote is for the resolution, it shall be deemed to be operative on the date that the county election commission makes its official canvas of the election returns. The county election commission shall then promptly certify the results of the election to the secretary of state and the new corporate name of the municipality; and
(5) If the majority vote is against the election, the question of approving the resolution shall not be included on any subsequent election ballot unless a new resolution is first approved by the board in the manner provided in this section.
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