Voter Guide

Information below is also available on the Tennessee Secretary of State's website.

PHOTO ID REQUIREMENTS

ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF PHOTO ID

Tennessee is one of many states across the country that has implemented Photo ID Requirements. Below are the forms of acceptable ID's that can be used.

A Tennessee Driver, Commercial Driver, or Motocycle License with your photo on it (which can be viewed here);
A U.S. Passport;
A Photo ID that is issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDSHS);
Photo ID issued by the Federal or Tennessee State Governments;
U.S. Military Photo ID; and
Tennessee Handgun Permit.

*Voters may use an expired Photo ID to vote.

*CAUTION*

First time voters, if you decide to use an expired Photo ID when you go to vote for the first time, you must have one of the following pieces of information to present: a copy of a current Utility Bill (Landline Telephone, Electric, Gas, Water, or Cable), a bank statement, government check, paycheck; or other government document that has your name and address on it.

If you do not have any of the accepted forms of Photo ID, we strongly encourage you to get a photo ID. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has a list of what documents that you need in order to establish proof of citizenship and proof of residency. If you are a new resident, you can find the requirements to obtain a photo ID here, you can also find out how much the fees are to obtain a Photo ID here, the locations of your local driver's service center or your local county clerk's office here, and you can order a copy of your birth certificate online here.

PHOTO ID'S THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTED TO VOTE:

The following forms of Photo ID are not accepted here in Tennessee:

Photo ID's that are issued by a college or university here in Tennessee; and
If you have a Photo ID that was not issued by either the Federal Government or by the state of Tennessee (i.e. you can't use a Georgia License to vote in a Tennessee Election).

EXEMPTIONS TO THE PHOTO ID REQUIREMENT

The following exemptions are available for individuals who are:

Voting by absentee by mail;
If you are a resident of a licensed nursing home or assisted living facility and you vote at that facility;
If you are hospitalized;
If you have a religious objection to being photographed; and
If you are "indigent" and are unable to obtain a Photo ID without paying a fee.

Voting In Tennessee

*THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN TENNESSEE IS 30 DAYS PRIOR TO AN ELECTION*

Registering to Vote

Voting is a right granted to us by both the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. Here in Tennessee registering to vote is fairly straight forward. In order to register you must be:

You must be a citizen of the United States
You must be 18 years of age or old on or before the date of the next election (*If you are 17 years old, you can register to vote so long as you turn 18 before the election.
You must be a resident of the state of Tennessee. *You can view the residency requirements here.
If you have been convicted off a felony, your eligibility to register and vote depends upon the crime you were convicted of and the date of your conviction. If your conviction made you ineligible, you may regain your eligibility if your conviction has been expunged or if you have had your voting rights restored, unless you were convicted of a crime that rendered you permanently ineligible to vote. The process for felons to restore their voting rights can be found here.

Once you have determined if you are eligible to register to vote, you can register to vote using one of the following methods:

The Online Voter Registration system, which can be accessed here. *PREFERRED METHOD*
Download and complete the Voter Registration Application and either mail or hand deliver it to your local county election commission. You can print the application from here.
You may also pick up a voter registration application at:
- Your local election commission office
- Your local county clerk's office
- Any Public Library
- Your local Register of Deeds office
You may also register to vote through:
- Department of Health (WIC Program)
- Department of Human Services
- Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Department of Mental Health
- Department of Safety and Homeland Security
- Department of Veteran's Affairs

Updating your Voter Registration

If you have moved within the county you live in or had recently had a name change, you can update your voter registration online through the online voter registration system.

You may also go to your local election commission office to update your voter registration. If you choose that route, you need to fill out the voter registration form (it also serves as a name/address change request form). You may also mail the form as well if you do not wish to go to your local election commission office. If you do not want to send in the form, you can request a name or address change in writing to your local election commission office. Please make sure that the form, or written letter, is signed and that it is received by the election commission no later than 5 days prior to an election.

You may also update your address on your voter registration when you go to early vote in your county. If you wait until election day, you will be required to sign an affidavit before being permitted to vote. You may also be required to go to your new voting location or to a central location that is designated by your county's election commission office.

In the event that you lose your voter registration card, you may request a replacement one, in writing, to your local county election commission office. You may also use the GoVoteTN app or the Secretary of State's voter lookup site.

If you have moved to a different county within the state, you must re-register to vote. Voter registration in Tennessee does not transfer from one county to another. In order to vote you must get registered in your new county using the methods prescribed above and you have to adhere to the deadlines for new voters as well.

The deadline to register to vote is 30 days prior to the election that you are planning on voting in. If you register to vote by mail, you must vote in person in the first election you choose to vote in.

Once you have been registered to vote, you remain permanently registered to vote unless your election commission has a statutory reason to remove you from the voter rolls. (T.C.A 2-2-105 and 2-2-106) You can also request for your name to be removed from the voter rolls by writing to your local county election commission. However, you can be removed from the voter rolls if:

If you have had a name change for 90 days or more, except by marriage, and you have failed to notify your local election commission.
Upon your death.
Upon receiving official confirmation that the voter has been convicted of an infamous crime as defined in T.C.A. 40-20-112.
Upon written confirmation that you have moved outside the county that you were registered in or when you register to vote in another jurisdiction.
If you fail to respond to a confirmation notice, and if you fail to otherwise update your voter registration over a period of 2 consecutive regular November elections following the date the notice was first sent.

Early Voting

Typically, early voting begins 20 days before an election and ends 5 days prior to the election, except for Presidential Primaries as early voting ends 7 days prior to the election. In order to vote early, you must appear in person at either your county's election commission office or at a satellite voting location that is operated by your county's election commission. Usually, early voting will not take place on holidays or Sunday's, but it is permitted to take place on Saturday's, depending on if your local election commission offers Saturday early voting. Remember you must have a photo ID and if you are in line to vote at the time early voting ends for the day you will be able to cast your vote.

Election Day Voting

Poll opening varies from county to county. Counties can begin election day voting as early as 7am or as late as 9am. However, all polls must be closed by 8pm ET/ 7pm CT. Don't forget you must have a photo ID in order to cast a ballot. If you are in line when the polls close you will still be able to cast a vote, but if you arrive after the polls close you will not be permitted to vote.

Absentee Voting Information

ELIGIBILITY

Tennessee does allow for absentee by-mail voting only under certain circumstances. While other states have broadened access to absentee by-mail voting, Tennessee has restricted who can and cannot vote using this method. It is available but you must fall under one of the following categories:

You are 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 are unable to appear at your polling location to vote. *Note a physician's note is not required.
You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled. *Note a physician's note is not required.
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. *Note If you reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or home for the aged inside your county of residence, you may not vote absentee by-mail. Election officials will come to the facility to vote eligible residents, or you may vote during early voting or on Election Day.
You are a candidate for office in the election.
You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during early voting 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 driver's 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 can learn more here).
You are on the permanent absentee list (you can learn more here).

HOW TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BY-MAIL BALLOT

If you are eligible to vote by absentee by-mail, you may request an application for a by-mail ballot no earlier than 90 days before the election and no later than 7 days before the election. To be processed for the next election, the application must be received by your local election commission no later than 7 days before the election. You must submit a completed absentee ballot request form to your local county election commission (you can locate yours here) at least 7 days prior to the election. You may submit this form via mail, email, or fax to your local county election commission. You may also submit a written request to your local county election commission office through mail, email, and fax. Make sure to include the following information in your written request:

Your name
Address
Social Security number
Date of birth
Address to mail the ballot
The election in which you wish to participate in. If the election involves a primary, make sure to name the primary in which you would like to participate in.
The reason why you wish to vote by absentee by-mail. (Note it has to be one of the reasons listed above).
Voter Signature

Once a request that contains the information above will be processed by your local county election commission and a ballot will be mailed to you. If you do not provide all of the information that is required, your local county election commission will return your application so that you can make any requested corrections and to resubmit your application.

RETURN YOUR ABSENTEE BY-MAIL BALLOT

Your absentee ballot must be delivered to your local county election commission by either the US Postal Service, Fedex, or UPS by the time polls close on election day. You cannot hand deliver your ballot to the election commission or to your polling location on election day.

We highly recommend that you mail your ballot back as soon as possible. It's best to mail it directly at your local post office or UPS or Fedex location. Check with them if there are ways that you can expedite delivery of your ballot to your local election commission.

NOTICE

Please note: if a person who is not an employee of an election commission gives you an application for an absentee ballot directly, that is considered a Class E felony under Tennessee State Law. It is also a Class A misdemeanor to give an unsolicited request for an absentee ballot to any person. (T.C.A. § 2-6-202(c)(3) & (4))

Absentee Voting

Voter Guide

*Information below is also available on the Tennessee Secretary of State's website.*

PHOTO ID REQUIREMENTS

Information below is also available on the Tennessee Secretary of State's website.