Tennessee

Welcome to the Tennessee state page! Here, Tennessee organizers can access and document ongoing projects, current leadership positions, upcoming races, and other important information. This list is non-exhaustive, and state teams are encouraged to expand and adapt these pages to their organizing needs.

Who is eligible to vote?

• You must be a United States citizen
• You must be at least 18 years old or of the time or the election.
• You must be a resident of Tennessee.
• If you are a felony, depending on the crime you commit then you are still eligible to vote.

*  If you are homeless, you are still eligible to vote, please let your county board of elections know and figure out an address where you are able to receive mail whether it is at a shelter or a relative's house.

Convicted Felons: If you were convicted of a felony in the state of Tennessee, in another state or federal, you will lose your voting rights. If you want to regain your voting rights, there is a two-step verification process; one, receive a pardon from the government or have their full citizenship rights restored and pay off any debt obligation they may have. However there are certain felonies that you can not gain the right to vote for.

https://sos.tn.gov/elections/guides/restoration-of-voting-rights

Ways to Register.

• You can register online
• You can download the registration form and mail it to your county election board
• Pick up voter registration applications in person at the following locations:
  • County Election Commission Offices
  • County Clerk’s Offices
  • Public Libraries
  • Register of Deeds Offices
• Register during a transaction with one of the following agencies:
  • Department of Health (WIC program)
  • Department of Human Services
  • Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
  • Department of Mental Health
  • Department of Safety (motor vehicles division)
  • Department of Veteran’s Affairs

ID Requirements

Any of the following IDs may be used, even if expired:

• Tennessee driver license with your photo
• United States Passport
• Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
• Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government
• United States Military photo ID
• Tennessee handgun carry permit with your photo

First time voters who register by mail or using Online Voter Registration, if the ID is expired, the voter must also present one of the following :

• a copy of a current utility bill,
• bank statement,
• government check,
• paycheck, or
• other government document that shows the voter’s name and address.

IDs not allowed for voting:

The following ID' are NOT acceptable:

• College student IDs
• Photo IDs not issued by the federal or Tennessee state government are NOT acceptable. This includes county or city issued photo IDs, such as library cards, and photo IDs issued by other states.

The following individuals are exempt:

• Voters who vote absentee by mail (view requirements here)
• Voters who are residents of a licensed nursing home or assisted living center and who vote at the facility      
• Voters who are hospitalized
• Voters with a religious objection to being photographed
• Voters who are indigent and unable to obtain a photo ID without paying a fee

How to vote

Absentee Ballot:

You can vote absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:

• You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
• You will be outside the county where you are registered during the early voting period and all day on Election Day.
• You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote (this includes persons who have underlying medical or health conditions which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk should they contract it). For a list of underlying health conditions that makes a person more susceptible, see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
• You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled (this includes voters who care for or reside with persons who have underlying medical or health conditions which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk should they contract it). For a list of underlying health conditions that makes a person more susceptible, see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
• You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.
• You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.
• You are a candidate for office in the election.
• You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day.
• You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission.
• You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
• You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
• You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
• You are a member of the military or are an overseas citizen.
• You are on the permanent absentee list.

*  If you are living in an adult care home, a nursing home etc. You may not vote by mail, election officials will come to the nursing home to help you complete your ballot in person.

Requesting an Absentee Ballot

You can submit your written request for an absentee ballot by mail, fax, or e-mail. If emailing your request, be sure the attached document contains the information below and your scanned signature.

1. Name of the registered voter
2. Address of the voter's residence
3. Voter's social security number
4. Voter's date of birth
5. Address to mail the ballot
6. The election in which the voter wishes to participate. If the election involves a primary, the political party in which the voter wishes to participate.
7. Reason the voter wishes to vote absentee. If applicable, a copy of the CDL containing the CDL number or the TWIC card must be included in the voter’s request.
8. Voter's signature

A request that contains this information will be processed and a ballot will be mailed to the voter.

If you do not provide all of the information required your county election commission will return the application to you so you can make corrections and resubmit your application.

Return the Absentee Ballot

You must mail your ballot in time for your county election commission to receive it no later than the close of polls on Election Day.

You must return your ballot by mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.). Hand delivery or handing it to a poll worker during early voting or on Election Day is not permitted.

To vote early, a person must appear in person at either the county election commission office or at a satellite voting location opened by the county election commission.  The early voting period typically begins twenty (20) days before an election and ends five (5) days before an election.  The exception is for the Presidential Preference Primary, when early voting ends seven (7) days before the election. Although closed from voting on holidays, a person may vote early on any Saturday that falls during this time frame.  In those instances in a city election where there is not any opposition on the ballot, there shall be no early voting period.

Election Day:

You can vote on Election Day between 7am-7pm.