Nashville residents are represented by about a dozen elected officials across three levels of government, and your home address determines nearly every one of them. Your Nashville representatives include two U.S. Senators for all of Tennessee, one U.S. House member for your slice of Davidson County, a state senator and a state representative in the Tennessee General Assembly, one district Metro Council member, five at-large council members, the Metropolitan Mayor, and your Metro school board member.
Your Federal Representatives
Every Nashville resident is represented by Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators. As of 2026, those seats are held by Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, both Republicans.1U.S. Senate. States in the Senate – Tennessee Hagerty’s current term ends in January 2027, and he faces reelection in November 2026. Senators vote on federal legislation, confirm the president’s nominees for federal judgeships, cabinet posts, and ambassadorships, and ratify treaties.
In the U.S. House, Davidson County is split among three Congressional Districts. Which one covers you depends on exactly where in the county you live. As of 2026, the representatives are:
- 5th District: Andy Ogles
- 6th District: John Rose
- 7th District: Matt Van Epps (took office in December 2025)
House members vote on federal spending, defense, and interstate commerce, and they can request direct federal funding for local projects through Community Project Funding. Each representative must publicly post every request on their official website, so you can see what your member is trying to bring back to the district.2House Committee on Appropriations – Republicans. FY26 Community Project Funding
Beyond voting, congressional offices do constituent casework. If you’re stuck with a delayed passport, a VA benefits dispute, or a Social Security problem, your House member’s district office can intervene on your behalf. The service is free and often the most practically useful thing a federal office does for you.
Your State Legislators
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature, made up of a Senate and a House of Representatives. It convenes every year on the second Tuesday of January.3Tennessee General Assembly. About the Tennessee Legislature Davidson County is divided among multiple state House and Senate districts, so your address determines which state senator and state representative speak for you.
State legislators control a budget that exceeds $57 billion across all revenue sources. They set public school standards, fund state highway projects, regulate professional licensing, write the state’s criminal laws,4Justia. Tennessee Code 40-35-111 – Authorized Terms of Imprisonment and Fines for Felonies and Misdemeanors and shape property tax rules, the state sales tax rate, and how much grant money reaches Nashville’s metropolitan government.
Your Local Representatives
Nashville’s local government is the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, governed by the Metropolitan Charter.5Municode Library. Charter of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Metro Council
The Metro Council has 40 members. Thirty-five represent specific geographic districts, and five serve at-large, representing the entire county.6Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Metropolitan Council Office That means you have one district council member and five at-large members. The Vice Mayor presides over council meetings and casts tie-breaking votes but otherwise does not vote.
Council members handle zoning, trash collection, street lighting, park funding, and local tax rates, and they approve the annual budget. Meetings are held at the Historic Metro Courthouse at 1 Public Square, typically on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m., roughly twice a month.7Nashville.gov. Metropolitan Council Meetings Your district council member is usually the most accessible elected official you have, and the one best positioned to help with neighborhood problems.
The Mayor
The Metropolitan Mayor is Nashville’s chief executive. The Mayor writes the annual budget, supervises Metro departments, appoints citizens to boards and commissions (subject to council approval), and can veto council ordinances. The council can override a veto with a two-thirds vote.8Nashville.gov. What Can Your Mayor Do for You? On spending, the Mayor proposes and the council disposes.
Metro School Board
The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools board has nine elected members who oversee the public school district. They set education policy, approve school budgets, and hire the director of schools. If you have children in the public system, your school board member likely affects your family’s daily life more than your member of Congress does.
How to Find Your Specific Representatives
Because federal, state, and local district lines overlap, your exact address determines who represents you at each level. Two neighbors a block apart can have different U.S. House members and different state legislators. You need your full street address, not just a zip code, since a single zip code often spans multiple districts.
- State legislators: the Tennessee General Assembly’s Find My Legislator tool returns your state senator and state representative with contact information.9Tennessee General Assembly. Tennessee Elected Legislator Finder
- Metro Council: Nashville.gov’s Council District Lookup returns your district council member.10Nashville.gov. Metropolitan Council Members
- Polling place and registration: the Davidson County Election Commission runs a Polling Place Finder for your assigned voting location.11Nashville.gov. Davidson County Election Commission
- U.S. House member: entering your address on house.gov identifies your congressional district and representative.
Your two U.S. Senators are the same no matter where in Tennessee you live.1U.S. Senate. States in the Senate – Tennessee
How to Contact Them
Every congressional office, state legislative office, and Metro Council member has a phone number, email or web contact form, and a physical office address available through the lookup tools above. When you call or write, give your full name and home address. Staff verify district residency before logging your message, which is how offices track what their actual constituents care about.
Calls are generally faster than emails for time-sensitive issues. Written messages through official web forms create a paper trail that gets counted in the office’s records. For complex issues, you can request a meeting with your representative or a legislative aide through the same channels. Congressional district offices handle in-person constituent meetings regularly.
Speaking at Metro Council Meetings
You can testify in person during public hearings at Metro Council meetings. Show up, wait for the Vice Mayor to announce the public hearing, and line up at the podium when directed. You get two minutes. State your name, address, and whether you support or oppose the item under discussion.12Nashville.gov. Participation in Metro Council Meetings The information you provide must be accurate; giving false details disqualifies you from participating. Prepare your points in advance, and if several neighbors share the same concern, one spokesperson usually lands better than repeating the same argument five times.
Register to Vote First
None of this representation matters at the ballot box if you’re not registered. Tennessee requires you to register at least 30 days before an election to vote in it.13Nashville.gov. Register to Vote To register in Davidson County, you must be a U.S. citizen, a Davidson County resident, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. Residents with prior felony convictions should check eligibility guidelines, as voting rights depend on the specific offense and date of conviction.
You can register online through the Tennessee Secretary of State’s portal if you have a Tennessee driver’s license or state ID. Paper applications can be mailed to the Davidson County Election Commission at P.O. Box 650, Nashville, TN 37202, or hand-delivered to the Election Commission office at 1281 Murfreesboro Pike.13Nashville.gov. Register to Vote The 30-day deadline is firm. If your application isn’t postmarked or delivered by then, you’ll have to wait for the next election.