🏛️ Courthouse Corner: Three Yes-or-No Amendment Questions on Your Nov. 3 Ballot, Chattanooga Rolls Out Litter Crews and Loose-Leaf Pickup Nov. 2, Red Bank Invites Neighbors to Give Blood and Bike Safely, and Spencer Holds a Zoning Hearing Thursday

Or: A Plain-English Monday Look at the Bottom of Your Ballot, the Leaf Piles of Fall, Two Neighborly Invitations and One Small-Town Zoning Vote

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Monday, October 26, 2026

Some weeks the courthouse news is a big pot of beans, and some weeks it’s a plate of leftovers you’re glad to have. This is a quiet Monday, so we’re using it to look at something every Tennessee voter will see in eight days: three proposed constitutional amendments printed right after the governor’s race, and the special rule for how they pass. Down the road, Chattanooga Public Works starts an expanded litter cleanup and its loose-leaf collection season on Mon., Nov. 2. Red Bank is inviting neighbors to a blood drive on Nov. 5 and a family bike-safety afternoon on Nov. 7. And in Van Buren County, Spencer’s Board of Aldermen holds a public hearing and final vote on a zoning code amendment Thursday.

Here’s what’s in this twenty-first Courthouse Corner in Plain English: the three amendments on your ballot, Chattanooga’s leaf and litter plan, Red Bank’s November invitations, Spencer’s zoning hearing, and what we’re still waiting on, plus the week ahead.

We label each item Local (Sequatchie County or Dunlap), Neighbors (nearby counties) or Statewide/Federal. Facts come from local news reports, government websites and official notices, linked in each section. Items on an agenda have not been voted on yet. This is not an endorsement of any official, candidate or proposal, and we don’t tell anyone how to vote.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Your ballot (Statewide): Three yes-or-no amendment questions come right after the governor’s race. To pass, each needs more “yes” than “no” votes and more “yes” votes than half of all votes cast for governor.
• Chattanooga, Mon., Nov. 2: Loose-leaf collection and an expanded litter cleanup begin. Keep leaf piles separate, at the curb, and never over a storm drain.
• Red Bank: Blood drive Thu., Nov. 5, 9 a.m.–noon. Traffic Garden Jamz, a free family bike-safety event, Sat., Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
• Spencer, Thu., Oct. 29, 5:30 p.m.: Public hearing and final vote on a zoning code amendment at City Hall.
• Remember: Early voting ends Thu., Oct. 29. Clocks fall back Sun., Nov. 1. Election Day is Tue., Nov. 3.

🗳️ Statewide: Three Yes-or-No Questions at the Bottom of Your Ballot, and the Special Rule for Passing Them

The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office says three proposed constitutional amendments will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot, listed directly after the candidates for governor. Each is a yes-or-no question. A “yes” vote adopts the new language. A “no” vote keeps the current language in the Constitution unchanged. The Attorney General wrote a short summary of each:

• Amendment 1 (bail): Would let a court hold a defendant without bail before trial when the person is accused of certain of the most serious offenses listed in the amendment, and would require judges to state on the record why they granted or denied bail in those cases.
• Amendment 2 (state property tax): Would add language saying the Legislature may not impose a state property tax on real, personal or mixed property. The amendment keeps the existing line that property is subject to taxation; the new words are aimed at a state property tax.
• Amendment 3 (crime victims’ rights): Would rewrite the victims’ rights section, clarifying existing rights and adding new ones, such as being informed about and taking part in the parole process. The summary says it does not restrict the powers of prosecutors or courts.

The special rule: An amendment passes only if it gets more “yes” votes than “no” votes and the number of “yes” votes is more than half of all votes cast in the governor’s race. To find that number, the state adds up every vote for every governor candidate and divides by two.

What it means for you: Think of it like a church potluck vote where the casserole doesn’t just have to beat the other dish. It has to win over more than half the whole room. That means skipping an amendment question isn’t the same as staying neutral: if you vote for governor but leave an amendment blank, your governor vote still counts toward the number that amendment has to beat. Read all three before you go, so nothing at the bottom of the ballot surprises you. Your county’s sample ballot is on GoVoteTN.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Secretary of State: Proposed Constitutional Amendments, with full text) · GoVoteTN: sample ballots and polling places

🍂 Neighbors: Chattanooga Starts Loose-Leaf Pickup and an Expanded Litter Cleanup on Nov. 2

The City of Chattanooga’s Department of Public Works announced Monday, Oct. 26, that an expanded litter reduction effort starts Monday, Nov. 2, the same day as the annual loose-leaf collection season. The city says the work advances priorities that Administrator Jerramy Wood outlined in June. Here’s what’s in it, according to Chattanoogan.com and NewsChannel 9:

• One name: All litter efforts will run under the Keep Chattanooga Beautiful brand.
• Catching trash in the water: 5 litter booms across city watersheds and 20 litter interceptors in catch basins, with partners Green Steps and Water Ways.
• New equipment: The city is buying 4 vacuum trucks and 4 dedicated crew trucks for litter routes and 311 requests.
• Leaf pickup, Phase 1 (Nov. 2 to early December): Crews answer individual service requests.
• Leaf pickup, Phase 2 (mid-December to April 2, 2027): A four-zone sweep of the whole city.
• How to ask: Call 311 or use the CHA311 app.

What it means for you: If you live in Chattanooga, rake your leaves into a pile at the curb, separate from bagged yard waste, brush and bulk trash. Keep piles out of traffic lanes and away from fire hydrants, and never rake leaves over a storm drain. A clogged drain is like a stopped-up kitchen sink: the water has to go somewhere, and it usually picks the street. Out here in the Valley, the same rule holds for your own ditch and culvert: leaves in the ditch today can mean water over the driveway after the next hard rain.

👉 Read more (Chattanoogan.com: Public Works Launches Litter Cleanup and Loose-Leaf Collection) · NewsChannel 9

🩸 Neighbors: Red Bank Invites Residents to Give Blood and Learn Bike Safety in November

The City of Red Bank announced two ways for residents to pitch in during early November:

• Blood drive, Thu., Nov. 5, 9 a.m.–noon, at the Red Bank Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr., with Blood Assurance. Donor rewards listed are a $40 e-gift card for platelet and double red cell donors, a $25 e-gift card for all other donors, and a t-shirt for donors Nov. 1–30 while supplies last. Appointments are made through the QR code on the event flyer.
• Traffic Garden Jamz, Sat., Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., at 4839 Dayton Blvd. The Hamilton County Health Department will lead a traffic and pedestrian safety course. White Oak Bicycle Co-Op will have bikes to borrow, with live music from local artist Endelouz and treats from Desserts on the Roll.

What it means for you: Giving blood is one of those quiet good deeds, like leaving a casserole on a neighbor’s porch. Blood Assurance reminds donors to eat a good meal, drink extra water and bring a valid ID. And if the grandkids are learning to ride, a morning on a practice “traffic garden” beats learning the rules on a busy road. Questions go to Tegan Barber, Red Bank Parks & Recreation, at 423-827-9849.

👉 Read more (Chattanoogan.com: Red Bank Invites Residents to Give Back and Get Involved)

🏘️ Neighbors: Spencer Holds a Public Hearing and Final Vote on a Zoning Code Amendment Thursday

A public notice published Oct. 7 says the City of Spencer will hold a public hearing and its regular Board of Aldermen meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at Spencer City Hall, 12180 State Route 111. The board will consider the second and final reading of an amendment to the city’s official zoning code, Ordinance 2023-7. The notice says a sign-in sheet will be available for anyone who wants to speak. It doesn’t describe what the amendment would change.

What it means for you: A zoning code is the town’s rulebook for what can be built where, like the fence line that tells you whose garden is whose. A “final reading” means this is the last vote before the change takes effect, so if you own property or a business in Spencer, Thursday is the time to listen or speak. Call Spencer City Hall ahead of time to ask for a copy of the proposed amendment.

👉 Read more (Public notice: Spencer Board of Aldermen hearing, Oct. 29)

⏳ Still Waiting, and the Week Ahead

• Marion County Commission (Neighbors): Meets tonight, Mon., Oct. 26, at 6 p.m., Lawson Building, Jasper, with patrol cars, a beaver eradication contract and the Herkey Road name change on the agenda. Results weren’t available when this was written. We’ll report them once they’re posted.
• Dunlap Ordinance No. 321 (Local): As of Monday afternoon, the result of the Main Street rezoning vote wasn’t posted on the city’s website. Dunlap City Hall: (423) 949-2115, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Bledsoe County Commission (Neighbors): Results from the Oct. 19 meeting weren’t posted online as of Monday. County Mayor Kris Frady’s office: (423) 447-6855.
• Also tonight: Monteagle city meeting, 5 p.m. Rhea County Commission special called meeting, 6 p.m., Dayton. Grundy County Commission, 6:30 p.m. (call to confirm; the county doesn’t post agendas online).
• Tue., Oct. 27 — Chattanooga City Council and the Sequatchie County school board working session (Local).
• Wed., Oct. 28 — Hamilton County Commission, County Courthouse, Chattanooga.
• Thu., Oct. 29 — Last day of early voting. Sequatchie County Records Commission, 5:30 p.m., upstairs at the courthouse, 22 Cherry St., Dunlap (Local). Spencer Board of Aldermen hearing, 5:30 p.m.

What it means for you: Monday-night meetings are like a late supper: the dishes get washed tomorrow. Results usually show up a day or two later, and a phone call is still the fastest way to find out.

👉 Read more (Marion County: Oct. 26 Commission Meeting) · City of Dunlap · Bledsoe County: Oct. 19 agenda · CTAS: Grundy County · Sequatchie County: News and Notices

🗓️ Dates to Put on the Fridge

• Mon., Oct. 26 (tonight): Monteagle, 5 p.m. Marion County Commission, 6 p.m., Jasper. Rhea special called meeting, 6 p.m., Dayton. Grundy County Commission, 6:30 p.m. (call to confirm).
• Tue., Oct. 27: Chattanooga City Council. Sequatchie County school board working session.
• Wed., Oct. 28: Hamilton County Commission.
• Thu., Oct. 29: Last day of early voting (Sequatchie: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.). Sequatchie Records Commission, 5:30 p.m. Spencer zoning hearing, 5:30 p.m.
• Sat., Oct. 31: Scare on the Square, 5–7 p.m., Harris Park, Dunlap.
• Sun., Nov. 1, 2 a.m.: Clocks fall back one hour.
• Mon., Nov. 2: Sequatchie County school board regular meeting. Chattanooga loose-leaf collection and litter cleanup begin.
• Tue., Nov. 3: Election Day. Three amendment questions follow the governor’s race.
• Thu., Nov. 5, 9 a.m.–noon: Red Bank blood drive, Red Bank Community Center.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.: Traffic Garden Jamz, 4839 Dayton Blvd., Red Bank.
• Wed., Nov. 11, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Marion County Veterans Day Ceremony, American Legion Hall, South Pittsburg.
• Mon., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.: Sequatchie County Commission, courthouse.

✅ Your Courthouse Corner Checklist

• ✅ Before you vote, read all three amendment summaries on the Secretary of State’s website or your sample ballot on GoVoteTN. They’re at the bottom of the ballot, after the governor’s race.
• ✅ Remember the rule: a blank amendment question isn’t neutral, because each amendment has to top half of all governor votes.
• ✅ Haven’t voted early yet? You have through Thursday. Bring your photo ID.
• ✅ Raking this week? Keep leaves out of ditches, culverts and storm drains. In Chattanooga, call 311 or use the CHA311 app for pickup.
• ✅ Able to give blood? Red Bank’s drive is Thu., Nov. 5. Eat a good meal, drink extra water and bring your ID.
• ✅ Own property in Spencer? Ask City Hall for a copy of the zoning amendment before Thursday’s 5:30 p.m. hearing.
• ✅ Saturday night before bed: set the clocks back one hour, and test the smoke detector while you’re at it.

Practical rule: Read the whole ballot, top to bottom, before you walk in. The questions at the bottom count just as much as the names at the top.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Courthouse Glossary

• Constitutional amendment: A change to the state Constitution, the top set of rules for Tennessee government. Voters must approve it.
• Bail: Money or conditions that let a person accused of a crime stay out of jail while waiting for trial.
• State property tax: A property tax collected by the state. The property taxes Tennesseans pay today are set by their counties and cities.
• Parole: Supervised release from prison before the end of a sentence.
• Loose-leaf collection: A city service that picks up raked leaves left in piles at the curb, without bags.
• Catch basin: The street-side drain that collects rainwater and sends it to the storm sewer.
• Litter boom: A floating barrier placed in a creek or river to catch trash.
• Zoning code: Local rules that control land use and what can be built where.
• Second and final reading: The last vote a city board takes before an ordinance becomes law.
• Public hearing: A time set aside at a meeting for anyone to speak on a specific proposal.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the amendments on my ballot?

Directly after the candidates for governor. Each one is a yes-or-no question.

What happens if I skip an amendment question?

Your ballot still counts for everything else. But each amendment needs more “yes” votes than half of all votes cast for governor, so leaving it blank doesn’t help it reach that number.

Does Amendment 2 change my county property tax bill?

The Attorney General’s summary says it prohibits the Legislature from imposing a state property tax. It doesn’t talk about county or city property taxes. Read the full text on the Secretary of State’s website.

Where can I read the exact wording?

The Tennessee Secretary of State’s “Proposed Constitutional Amendments” page has the full text and the Attorney General’s summaries. Your sample ballot is on GoVoteTN.

Does Chattanooga’s leaf pickup reach the Valley?

No. It’s for Chattanooga city residents. Out here, keep leaves out of ditches and culverts, and call your county highway department if a county ditch is clogged.

Who can go to the Red Bank events?

Red Bank invited its residents and the community. Blood drive donors need an appointment through the flyer’s QR code. Traffic Garden Jamz is a family event, and bikes are available to borrow.

What does Spencer’s zoning amendment change?

The public notice doesn’t say. Call Spencer City Hall or attend the Thursday, Oct. 29 hearing at 5:30 p.m.

When does early voting end, and when is Election Day?

Early voting ends Thursday, Oct. 29. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Clocks fall back at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.

🔗 Other Resources

• Tennessee Secretary of State: Proposed Constitutional Amendments
• GoVoteTN: sample ballots, polling places and hours
• Chattanoogan.com: Litter Cleanup and Loose-Leaf Collection
• NewsChannel 9: Chattanooga Expands Litter Cleanup
• Chattanoogan.com: Red Bank Invites Residents to Give Back
• Public Notice: Spencer Zoning Hearing, Oct. 29
• Marion County: Oct. 26 Commission Meeting
• Sequatchie County News and Notices
• City of Dunlap Government
• WVLT: Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 1
• Dunlap.Directory: free local business listings

🌿 Keep Learning, Stay Calm

A quiet week at the courthouse is a gift: it gives you time to read the fine print before it matters. Three questions at the bottom of your ballot, a few leaf piles, a blood drive and a small-town zoning vote. None of it asks anything hard of you today. Read the amendments once over coffee, write Thu., Oct. 29 on the fridge for early voting, keep the ditches clear and set the clocks back Saturday night. For more calm, practical Sequatchie Valley reporting, visit Dunlap.Today.