Want to vote in this year's Presidential Election? It's not too late!
We've compiled a listing of everything you might need to know about voting in Nashville and the surrounding Middle Tennessee Area and maybe, just maybe, a wee bit more.
How do I register to vote?
You can register to vote online by following these 2 easy steps.
Step 1-Make sure of the following:
- You're a U.S. citizen.
- You're a resident of Tennessee.
- You're at least 18 years old on or before election day.
- You've not been convicted of a felony (exceptions may apply to this rule)
- Print out the Application for Voter Registration
- Fill out the form completely
- Mail it in to your local county election commission office
To Register in Person, you can go to any number of your local governmental agencies to complete your Registration forms including the county election commission office as well as the Department of Safety, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Department of Veteran's Affairs, public libraries, county clerk's offices, and register of deed's offices.
*In order to participate in an election, you must be properly registered no later than thirty (30) days before the election. Your mail in voter registration must be postmarked at least 30 days prior to the election, in order to vote.
*If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you must vote in person.
I'm confused about Absentee Voting.
Can you explain Absentee Voting and the guidelines a person must adhere to?
Who Can Absentee Vote in Tennessee?
Registered voters meeting one of the following criteria may vote absentee by mail:
- Persons Outside of County If the voter will be outside the county where the voter is registered during the early voting period and on election day during all the hours the polls are open for any reason other than the fact that the voter will be imprisoned.
- Students and Spouses Outside of County
If a voter is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college, university or similar accredited institution of learning in this state but which is outside the county where the voter is registered. This provision also applies to the spouse of the student who resides with the student.
- Jurors
- If an individual expects to be unable to appear during the early voting period or at the polling place on election day because the person is serving as a juror for a federal or state court.
- Candidates for Office.
- Without stating any reason therefore, if the voter is a candidate for office in the election for which the voter seeks to cast an absentee ballot.
- Election Officials - Election Commission Members or Employees
If the person is an election official or a member or employee of the election commission on election day.
- Observance of a Religious Holiday
If the voter cannot appear during the early voting period or at the polling place because of observance of a religious holiday.
- Persons Over 65, Persons Hospitalized, Disabled or Ill.
- A person sixty-five (65) years of age or older when the person requests to vote absentee.
- The person is a handicapped voter and the voter's polling place is inaccessible.
- The person is hospitalized, ill or physically disabled, and because of such condition, the person is unable to appear at the person's polling place on election day.
- The person is a caretaker of a hospitalized, ill or disabled person.
Those wishing to vote by absentee ballot must request a ballot from the county election commission. A voter who wishes to vote absentee must request for an absentee ballot not more than ninety (90) days and no later than seven (7) days before the election. Ballots may be requested in person, by mail or by fax.
What information do I need when requesting an Absentee Ballot?
A request for an absentee ballot must contain the following information:
- Voter's name
- Voter's address
- Voter's Social Security number
- The address outside the county to which the voter wants the ballot to be mailed
- The election in which the voter wishes to vote
- The reason the voter must vote absentee voting.
The completed absentee ballot must be mailed in time to reach the commission office on or before Election Day, in order for it to be counted.
