Tenn. Code Ann. § 43-38-607

If a patron member director's position becomes vacant for a director who was elected by patron members, the board shall appoint a patron member of the cooperative to fill the director's position until the next regular or special members' meeting; provided however, that if there is only one (1) patron member director, a special members' meeting shall be called to fill the patron member director vacancy. If the vacating director was not a patron member, the board shall appoint a patron member or a patron member's representative to fill the vacant position. At the next regular or special members' meeting, the members or patron members shall elect a director to fill the unexpired term of the vacant director's position.